vikings/nfl
Dan Wiederer began covering the Vikings in 2011, enthusiastically delivering insight on the team across the Star Tribune's print and digital products. Prior to joining the Access Vikings team, he spent seven seasons covering ACC basketball at The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He also covered the Chicago Bears in 2003 and 2004. Follow him on Twitter @StribDW.
Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL the past 20 years, including the Browns from 1991-95 and the Vikings and the NFL since 2003. Since 2008, Craig has served as one of the 44 Pro Football Hall of Fame selectors. He can be followed on Twitter at @markcraignfl.
Jerome Simpson still simmering
Posted by: Dan Wiederer under Leslie Frazier, Vikings players, Leslie Frazier Updated: October 17, 2012 - 12:33 PM
Wednesday, sitting in front of his locker stall at Winter Park, receiver Jerome Simpson said he was 100 percent healthy, would play this Sunday – coach Leslie Frazier said he hoped Simpson would be ready to play – and said he understood Frazier was doing what he thought was best for the team when he was declared inactive for last Sunday’s game in Washington.
But that doesn’t mean Simpson still isn’t unhappy about it.
“That makes you mad,” Simpson said. “It’s nothing personal against (Frazier). He’s just doing what’s best for the team.’’
What probably made Simpson the most upset, judging by his comments Wednesday, was a clause in his contract that apparently costs him an estimated $60,000 when he is inactive for a game.
“You lose $60,000 you’d be mad, too,” he said to the assembled writers and media members. “I’m just a competitor, man. I just want to be out there on the field. Any time something is getting taken away from you, obviously you’re going to be upset about it. Just like if you couldn’t write any more. I’m pretty sure you’d be upset. … But we just talked about it and we’re on the same page.”
For Simpson, that means, going forward, he’s ready to get back on the field. He reiterated the scenario that affected him two weeks ago, the tightness in the calf that moved down to his leg that made it so he couldn’t raise his leg normally.
Simpson said that, while the doctors told him the problem likely stemmed from his back, that the treatment he got was on his leg. And that now he was just fine, and that he didn’t expect the symptoms to return.
“I did nothing (treatment-wise) on my back,’’ he said. “It was the tightness in my leg.’’
When asked if he was more fired up than ever to go out this week and make plays, he said, “I’m fired up regardless of the situation. I try to take the same approach every week. … I’m a play maker. So I’m going to make big plays. I’m just going to go out there, be Jerome Simpson, make plays.’’
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