# Adam Zimmer
**Adam Zimmer** (January 13, 1984 – October 31, 2022) was an [American football](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-football) coach who spent 17 seasons as an assistant in the [National Football League](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-football-league), most prominently as the [Minnesota Vikings](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnesota-vikings) linebackers coach from 2014 to 2019 and co-defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2021, working throughout under his father, head coach Mike Zimmer.[1](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34923747/adam-zimmer-son-former-vikings-coach-mike-zimmer-dies-38) • [2](https://www.vikings.com/history/coaching-history)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born / died | 1984, Ogden, Utah; October 31, 2022, Mendota Heights, Minnesota, aged 38[3](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/f60ftapcsbynqgymw72q.pdf) • [4](https://www.startribune.com/adam-zimmer-dies-mike-zimmer-minnesota-vikings-cincinnati-bengals-coach/600220959?refresh=true) |
| NFL coaching span | 17 seasons, 2006 to 2022, with the Saints, Chiefs, Bengals, Vikings, and Bengals again[1](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34923747/adam-zimmer-son-former-vikings-coach-mike-zimmer-dies-38) |
| Vikings roles | Linebackers coach 2014-19; co-defensive coordinator with Andre Patterson 2020-21[2](https://www.vikings.com/history/coaching-history) |
| Super Bowl teams | Super Bowl XLIV champion with New Orleans (2009 season) as assistant linebackers coach[5](https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/statement-new-orleans-saints-passing-adam-zimmer-2009-assistant-coach) |
| Final role | Offensive analyst for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022, working remotely[6](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/tlwoasnyukfa269tu4ka.pdf) • [4](https://www.startribune.com/adam-zimmer-dies-mike-zimmer-minnesota-vikings-cincinnati-bengals-coach/600220959?refresh=true) |
| Cause of death | Complications of chronic ethanol use disorder, per the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office[7](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35286702/medical-examiners-alcohol-caused-adam-zimmer-death) |
| Career record | 209 regular-season games as an NFL assistant, 115-93-1 (.553), over 13 seasons per Pro Football Archives[8](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/zimm00050.html) |
## Early life and playing career
Zimmer was born in [Ogden, Utah](https://www.edgepedia.org/ogden-utah), in 1984.[3](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/f60ftapcsbynqgymw72q.pdf) He grew up in Colleyville, Texas, while his father, [Mike Zimmer](https://www.edgepedia.org/mike-zimmer), served as a defensive coach for the [Dallas Cowboys](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-cowboys).[9](https://www.startribune.com/court-filing-police-found-adam-zimmer-dead-on-couch-with-eye-injury-looking-at-role-of-alcohol/600222834?refresh=true) As a 12-year-old he held the cord of his father's headset on the sideline during Dallas's Super Bowl victory over Pittsburgh in January 1996.[10](https://www.bengals.com/news/zimmers-savor-reunion-on-bengals-staff-9540210)
After playing high school football in Dallas, he lettered four years as a defensive back at Trinity University in [San Antonio](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-antonio).[10](https://www.bengals.com/news/zimmers-savor-reunion-on-bengals-staff-9540210) Coaching was a family tradition on both sides of the family: his grandfather Bill Zimmer earned Illinois Hall of Fame honors as a prep football and wrestling coach.[11](https://www.vikings.com/news/zimmer-s-bio-and-background-12447650)
## Coaching career
**New Orleans and Kansas City.** Zimmer began his NFL coaching career in 2006 with the [New Orleans Saints](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-orleans-saints) as an assistant linebackers coach on [Sean Payton](https://www.edgepedia.org/sean-payton)'s staff, serving through 2009 and including the 2009 season that ended with a 31-17 victory over [Indianapolis](https://www.edgepedia.org/indianapolis) in Super Bowl XLIV.[5](https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/statement-new-orleans-saints-passing-adam-zimmer-2009-assistant-coach) • [12](https://defector.com/just-how-big-a-problem-is-nepotism-in-nfl-coaching) He then spent three seasons as the Kansas City Chiefs assistant linebackers coach.[13](https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-name-andre-patterson-adam-zimmer-co-defensive-coordinators)
**Cincinnati, 2013.** In 2013 he joined his father, then the Bengals' defensive coordinator, as assistant defensive backs coach, working with defensive backs coach Mark Carrier on the team's largest position group.[14](https://www.vikings.com/news/full-bios-vikings-defensive-and-special-teams-coaching-staffs-12588383) • [15](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/eus1xrs10p5menmticti.pdf)
**Minnesota, 2014-2021.** When Mike Zimmer became the Vikings' head coach in 2014, Adam joined his staff as linebackers coach, a role he held through 2019.[2](https://www.vikings.com/history/coaching-history) During that period he helped [Eric Kendricks](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-kendricks) and Anthony Barr become one of the league's top tandems at the position; Kendricks was a First-Team All-Pro selection in 2019, and Barr was a four-time [Pro Bowl](https://www.edgepedia.org/pro-bowl) pick from 2015 to 2018.[13](https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-name-andre-patterson-adam-zimmer-co-defensive-coordinators) In January 2020 the Vikings named Zimmer and defensive line coach Andre Patterson co-defensive coordinators, filling the role vacated by George Edwards, with each continuing to coach his position group.[13](https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-name-andre-patterson-adam-zimmer-co-defensive-coordinators) Zimmer and Patterson had worked together with the front seven since both joined Minnesota's staff in 2014, and Patterson had known Adam since he was a child through his long coaching partnership with Mike Zimmer.[16](https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-co-dcs-patterson-zimmer-on-same-page-while-miles-apart) In January 2018 Zimmer served as head coach of the West squad in the East-West Shrine Game, a college all-star game, calling it a learning experience for his career.[17](https://www.vikings.com/news/adam-zimmer-excited-for-opportunity-to-be-head-coach-at-shrine-game) He and the rest of his father's staff were dismissed after the 2021 season.[4](https://www.startribune.com/adam-zimmer-dies-mike-zimmer-minnesota-vikings-cincinnati-bengals-coach/600220959?refresh=true)
**Return to Cincinnati, 2022.** The Bengals added Zimmer to [Zac Taylor](https://www.edgepedia.org/zac-taylor)'s staff for the 2022 season as an offensive analyst, a return to the organization where he had worked in 2013, this time on the offensive side of the ball.[6](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/tlwoasnyukfa269tu4ka.pdf) He worked remotely from Minnesota.[4](https://www.startribune.com/adam-zimmer-dies-mike-zimmer-minnesota-vikings-cincinnati-bengals-coach/600220959?refresh=true)
## Death
On October 31, 2022, police responding to a welfare check at Zimmer's home in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, found his body; police said there was nothing suspicious and no evidence of foul play.[4](https://www.startribune.com/adam-zimmer-dies-mike-zimmer-minnesota-vikings-cincinnati-bengals-coach/600220959?refresh=true) His sister, Corri Zimmer White, confirmed the death.[18](https://www.inforum.com/sports/pro/former-vikings-assistant-adam-zimmer-son-of-mike-zimmer-dies-at-38) In December 2022 the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that the death was caused by chronic alcohol use, listing the cause as "complications of chronic ethanol use disorder."[7](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35286702/medical-examiners-alcohol-caused-adam-zimmer-death) • [19](https://sports.yahoo.com/medical-examiner-office-rules-former-215600651.html)
His mother, Vikki Zimmer, had died unexpectedly in 2009.[1](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34923747/adam-zimmer-son-former-vikings-coach-mike-zimmer-dies-38)
## References
1. [Adam Zimmer, son of former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer, dies at 38, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/34923747/adam-zimmer-son-former-vikings-coach-mike-zimmer-dies-38)
2. [Vikings Coaching History, Minnesota Vikings](https://www.vikings.com/history/coaching-history)
3. [Minnesota Vikings coaching staff, NFL media guide (2019)](https://static.www.nfl.com/image/upload/league/f60ftapcsbynqgymw72q.pdf)
4. [Adam Zimmer, son of former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, dies at 38, Star Tribune](https://www.startribune.com/adam-zimmer-dies-mike-zimmer-minnesota-vikings-cincinnati-bengals-coach/600220959?refresh=true)
5. [Statement from New Orleans Saints on passing of Adam Zimmer](https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/statement-new-orleans-saints-passing-adam-zimmer-2009-assistant-coach)
6. [Cincinnati Bengals weekly news release, Aug. 15, 2022](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/tlwoasnyukfa269tu4ka.pdf)
7. [Medical examiners: Alcohol use caused Adam Zimmer's death, ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/35286702/medical-examiners-alcohol-caused-adam-zimmer-death)
8. [Adam Zimmer Coaching Record, Pro Football Archives](https://www.profootballarchives.com/coaches/zimm00050.html)
9. [Police investigate role of alcohol in former Vikings assistant Adam Zimmer's death, Star Tribune](https://www.startribune.com/court-filing-police-found-adam-zimmer-dead-on-couch-with-eye-injury-looking-at-role-of-alcohol/600222834?refresh=true)
10. [Zimmers savor reunion on Bengals staff, Bengals.com](https://www.bengals.com/news/zimmers-savor-reunion-on-bengals-staff-9540210)
11. [Zimmer's Bio and Background, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/news/zimmer-s-bio-and-background-12447650)
12. [Just How Big A Problem Is Nepotism In NFL Coaching?, Defector](https://defector.com/just-how-big-a-problem-is-nepotism-in-nfl-coaching)
13. [Vikings Name Patterson, Zimmer as Co-Defensive Coordinators, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-name-andre-patterson-adam-zimmer-co-defensive-coordinators)
14. [Full Bios: Vikings Defensive and Special Teams Coaching Staffs, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/news/full-bios-vikings-defensive-and-special-teams-coaching-staffs-12588383)
15. [Cincinnati Bengals media guide (2013)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/upload/bengals/eus1xrs10p5menmticti.pdf)
16. [Vikings Co-DCs Andre Patterson & Adam Zimmer 'On Same Page' While Miles Apart, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/news/vikings-co-dcs-patterson-zimmer-on-same-page-while-miles-apart)
17. [Adam Zimmer Excited for Opportunity to be Head Coach at Shrine Game, Vikings.com](https://www.vikings.com/news/adam-zimmer-excited-for-opportunity-to-be-head-coach-at-shrine-game)
18. [Former Vikings assistant Adam Zimmer, son of Mike Zimmer, dies at 38, InForum](https://www.inforum.com/sports/pro/former-vikings-assistant-adam-zimmer-son-of-mike-zimmer-dies-at-38)
19. [Medical examiner's office rules former Vikings assistant Adam Zimmer died from alcohol use, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/medical-examiner-office-rules-former-215600651.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Rugby and other football codes › American football players, coaches, and executives › Defensive assistant coaches*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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