Written by Conor Orr at NFL.com
Longtime NFL coach Norv Turner, the offensive coordinator of the 5-2, first-place Minnesota Vikings, has resigned in the middle of the season.
The stunning news, confirmed by the club on Wednesday morning, leaves one of the league’s brightestSuper Bowl contenders without one of their most important architects. The Vikings have longtime coordinators Tony Sparano and Pat Shurmur on the coaching staff as position coaches. Shurmur wasVikings quarterback Sam Bradford’s offensive coordinator at two different stops in St. Louis and Philadelphia.
Shurmur takes over as the Vikings’ interim offensive coordinator. Scott Turner, Norv’s son, will remain as the Vikings’ quarterback coach, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said that Shurmur will also be taking over the play-calling duties.
“This was the hardest thing I’ve done in football,” Norv Turner told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. “I respect Zim so much. I don’t want anyone to think I am bailing. It just wasn’t working.”
Turner told Rapoport that he hadn’t slept in days before making his decision, which he stated was not health related.
Earlier Wednesday, Turner issued a statement through the team following his resignation:
“I have tremendous respect for (head coach) Mike Zimmer, our coaching staff, and our players and at this time I think it is in the best interest of the team to step down. I thank the Wilf family for my time here in Minnesota and want to see our players and coaches achieve success.”
Speaking to reporters, Zimmer said he was “very, very surprised” when Turner notified him Wednesday morning he was resigning.
“He decided it was in his best interest to do this and I accept the reasons, and they are personal, and I won’t get into the reasons of why he did,” said Zimmer, who also said he underwent a minor surgical procedure Tuesday to repair a torn retina.
“We talked about a lot of things and I told him about how much respect I have for him … I think Norv is a great coach, a great teacher, a great person.”
Zimmer emphasized that Turner told him simply he was resigning and didn’t say whether he was retiring from coaching.
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