Zimmer calls NFL's decision to allow different crowd sizes 'unfair'

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer isn't a fan of the NFL allowing teams to set their own limits on how many fans they can admit on game days.

"I think there are some unfair things going on around it as far as some teams can have fans and some teams can't," Zimmer told reporters today via zoom. "So I think there is a competitive disadvantage in some of those areas."

Speaking of home-field advantages, or lack thereof in a worldwide pandemic, Zimmer said, "It's going to be hard because some stadiums they're allowing people in and it looks like we're not going to have any fans in there early, which really stinks because we have unbelievable fans.

"They make that play rocking every Sunday. But the best way to have home-field advantage is to play really good. Execute, make tackles, don't make mistakes, don't commit penalties, all those things."

Asked if he's been told what the plan is for fans at U.S. Bank Stadium, Zimmer pointed to the current state regulations limited crowd sizes to 250 people.

"I think what it is we have to go on state regulations," he said. "Right this moment, we can only allow 250 people in which doesn't make it financially possible to invite 250 people when it costs that much money to open up the stadium."

And if that doesn't change come Sept. 13, the Packers won't mind.

"The concentration is so much harder [for the visiting team] when you got 66,000 crazy Vikings fans who are doing the Skol chant," Zimmer said.

The Vikings will practice at U.S. Bank Stadium next Friday. Zimmer said they'll scrimmage for two quarters while creating the same atmosphere players will see on game day.

"We'll have the scoreboard going and the lights and all the stuff, and the crowd noise that they'll hear during the game," he said. "Try to get them as used to it as they possibly can so the first day it's not a shock."

And the rules on that crowd noise will be?

"It's decibels between 80 and 90," Zimmer said. "It just plays the same noise the entire time for both home and away. You don't really get to do any Skol chants or anything like that. It's going to be very stagnant. Just background noise.

"Which makes a lot of sense, right? I'll probably get in trouble for saying that."