'Really Idiotic': Vikings Coach Mike Zimmer Responds To CB Jayron Kearse's Arrest, Charges
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is not happy about safety Jayron Kearse's recent arrest and subsequent charges.
Kearse is accused of drunkenly driving his car onto a closed portion of Interstate 94 in Minneapolis on early Sunday. After being pulled over, a loaded handgun with more than two dozen rounds was found on the floor of his car.
Kearse spoke to reporters at practice Monday and apologized to the team and fans.
"I definitely take this matter seriously, and I'm sorry for putting anybody in harm's way and I will go through all the necessary steps to improve myself," he said.
Zimmer didn't hold back on showing his disappointment with Kearse Wednesday.
"I'm very, very ticked off," Zimmer told reporters in his first comments about the incident. "Since I've been here the last six years, I've worked extremely hard to clean up the reputation of this organization, this team off the field. We've put in a lot of resources for them to not have these kind of issues, and for them to do that is really idiotic."
When asked if Kearse would be punished by the team, Zimmer said "it's a CBA matter and a league matter."
The 25-year-old safety is charged with five counts, including a gross misdemeanor charge of carrying a gun without a permit. The other four counts were misdemeanors, including two drunken driving counts.
