With the Minnesota Vikings struggling after being hit by injuries, Norv Turner resigned as the team’s offensive coordinator Wednesday.
Pat Shurmur, according to multiple reports, will replace Turner as the interim OC.
Turner, 64, was in his third season with the Vikings and was previously a head coach in Washington, Oakland and San Diego. He was offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys when they won back-to-back Super Bowls in the early 1990s and has long been respected for the success he has had developing quarterbacks like Troy Aikman. But the Vikings lost Teddy Bridgewater in the preseason and the team called an audible, trading for Sam Bradford. In addition, the Vikings lost running back Adrian Peterson to the injured reserve list with a knee injury in September. There is no timetable for his return.
“I have tremendous respect for [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,” Turner said in a statement released by the team. “I thank the Wilf family for my time here in Minnesota and want to see our players and coaches achieve success.”
Meanwhile, the Vikings have lost two consecutive games after a 5-0 start and the latest disappointment came Monday night in a loss to the Chicago Bears. With an offensive line that has been stung by injuries – notably to Matt Kalil and Andre Smith – there weren’t many options left for Turner, other than walking away.
Speculation also had it that Turner was planning to leave after the season and that Schurmur had pushed for the Bradford trade. All the more reason to turn the job over to him now.
Zimmer, who was out Tuesday having what the team said was a minor medical procedure, has not commented on the staff change.