Vikings Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner Resigns
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- After back-to-back losses, Norv Turner, the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator, is stepping down.
The team released a statement Wednesday morning.
Pat Shurmur will be assuming duties as the interim offensive coordinator, the team said.
The Vikings have scored only 10 points in each of those losses after a 5-0 start to the season.
Coach Mike Zimmer picked Turner to run his offense when he was hired by the team in 2014. After two seasons of unremarkable production, Zimmer hired Tony Sparano as offensive line coach and Shurmur as tight ends coach to work with Turner.
That put three former NFL head coaches on the offensive staff. Zimmer said he valued the diversity of perspectives and voices that brought to the strategizing on that side of the ball, but Shurmur's arrival raised plenty of eyebrows around the league since he was overqualified for simply coaching tight ends. This is Shurmur's 18th year in the NFL, including two seasons as Cleveland's head coach and three years as Philadelphia's offensive coordinator.
Last season, Shurmur had Sam Bradford as his quarterback, and his input helped Vikings general manager Rick Spielman make the emergency trade for Bradford on Sept. 3 after Teddy Bridgewater was hurt. Shurmur was also Bradford's offensive coordinator in 2010, the quarterback's rookie year with St. Louis.
Zimmer was scheduled to discuss the move later Wednesday before practice in preparation for the upcoming game against Detroit. The Vikings (5-2) host the Lions on Sunday, still in first place in the NFC North despite their stumble out of the bye.
Turner faced several challenges this year with the Vikings. They lost Bridgewater to a devastating knee injury before the regular season. Adrian Peterson suffered a significant knee injury that has caused him to miss significant time.
The Vikings also lost three of their starting offensive linemen before the start of the season. Phil Loadholt retired after rupturing his Achilles' tendon last year, John Sullivan had been recovering from multiple back surgeries before being released and Matt Kalil went on injured reserve after suffering a hip injury.
The Vikings run game has been almost non-existent most of the year, especially since Peterson's injury. They were severely limited in the loss to the Bears with Jerick McKinnon out due to an ankle injury. The Vikings are one of the bottom teams in the NFL when it comes to running the football, averaging just 2.5 yards per carry.
The offensive line has had significant struggles in the Vikings' last two losses. Most recently, Jake Long, T.J. Clemmings and Brandon Fusco had rough games against the Eagles. Bradford has also been under constant pressure in recent weeks, either taking big hits or getting sacked. He's been sacked 19 times in six starts.
Turner has been a head coach in the NFL for 15 years. This was his 10th season as an offensive coordinator in the league. The 64-year-old has been with nine different NFL teams. Turner's son, Scott, remains Minnesota's quarterbacks coach.
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