Vikings hire Mike Zimmer as new head coach, reports say

Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has been chosen as the new head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, multiple media outlets are reporting.

The first-time NFL head coach will replace Leslie Frazier, who led the Vikings to a 5-10-1 record this season and went 21-33-1 with one playoff appearance in his three-plus years in Minnesota.

The fiery Zimmer, known for his profanity-laced appearances on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” when the series featured the Bengals in 2009 and 2013, has been a defensive coordinator in the league for 14 years, including the last six in Cincinnati.

His defense ranked third in the league in yards allowed and fifth in points against this season.

Zimmer, 57, played at Illinois State University and had 14 years of coaching experience at the college level when he became an assistant with Dallas in 1994. He earned a Super Bowl ring as the Cowboys’ defensive backs coach the following season and became defensive coordinator in 2000.

He has been a top candidate for several head-coaching jobs in the past and recently interview for the vacancy in Tennessee that went to Ken Whisenhunt earlier this week.