The cause of death for Adam Zimmer has been revealed. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office in Minnesota announced that the Cincinnati Bengals assistant coach died of chronic alcohol abuse. Zimmer was found dead at his home in Minnesota on Oct. 31. He was 38 years old.
Zimmer was working remotely this season as an offensive analyst for the Bengals. He joined the team this year after spending the last eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings with his father, Mike Zimmer, who was the team’s head coach. Adam Zimmer was let go from the Vikings when Mike was fired in January.
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“We are heartbroken to hear about the passing of Adam Zimmer,” the Vikings said in a statement at the time of Zimmer’s death. “Adam was a kind, respectful man, and over his years in Minnesota, it was evident he cared tremendously about his family, his players, his fellow coaches and the Vikings front office staff. Our thoughts are with Mike, Corri, Marki and the entire Zimmer family.”
When Zimmer joined the Vikings in 2014 and was the team’s linebacker coach. He held that position for six seasons before being promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2020. Zimmer began his coaching career in 2006 when he became the assistant linebackers coach for the New Orleans Saints. In 2009, Zimmer was on the coaching staff that helped the Saints win their first Super Bowl. The following year, Zimmer became the assistant linebackers coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was then for three seasons before joining the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013.
“I’m not going to be ‘Dad’ at the office,” Mike Zimmer said when he was with the Bengals with Adam in 2013, per the team’s official website. “It’s going to have to be ‘Coach’ or ‘Zim’ or ‘Mike,’ or whatever he wants. I told him over dinner last night. He’ll be treated just like everyone else and I’ll probably be harder on him. My dad was harder on me.”
“I’m looking forward to working for the best in the business,” Adam Zimmer said at the time. “I’m sure he’s going to be as hard on me as he is on everybody else. To get to work for him and learn from him is something I want to do.”
