NFC North: Vikings' Mike Zimmer, Rick Spielman will be around for a while

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Remember back in 2018, when Bears GM Ryan Pace and first-year coach Matt Nagy looked like a match made in football heaven? A pair of young stars in their respective positions with Nagy taking home the NFL's Coach of the Year Award for winning 12 games and an NFC North championship.

Now, just two seasons later, both appear to be on the hot seat.

The shine has worn off of Nagy after the Bears regressed to 8-8 in 2019 thanks in large part to his offense playing like one of the most out-of-sync in the NFL. And Pace's talent evaluations haven't fared much better. Failed first-rounders and free-agent busts finally caught up to Chicago last season. Time appears to be running out on the two most important people in Halas Hall.

That isn't the case in Minnesota, however, as the Vikings have locked up coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman to matching three-year extensions.

Zimmer got his deal earlier this offseason. Spielman's just became official.

“We are excited to have Coach Zimmer continue to lead the Minnesota Vikings this season and beyond,” Vikings Owner/President Mark Wilf said on July 24 via Vikings.com. “We strongly believe in his leadership and the team culture he’s fostered. We look forward to him furthering the team’s success of the previous six seasons and leading us to our ultimate goal of bringing a Super Bowl Championship to Minnesota.”

Zimmer owns a 6-6 record against the Bears but has lost the last four games in the rivalry.

Spielman has played a big part in the Vikings' return to respectability. Some of his notable draft picks include Harrison Smith, Dalvin Cook, Xavier Rhodes, Stefon Diggs, Danielle Hunter, Anthony Barr, and Eric Kendricks.

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