EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn.-Pat Shurmur will have his interim tag removed as Vikings offensive coordinator.
A source confirmed the move will be made, which has been expected. Shurmur who had been the tight ends coach, had taken over for Norv Turner after he resigned on Nov. 2.
Despite numerous injuries on the offensive line and injured running back Adrian Peterson playing in just one of nine games under Shurmur, the offense showed some improvement. In the final two games of the season, the Vikings averaged 31.5 points and 410 yards per game.
Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer expressed satisfaction with Shurmur in his postseason news conference Tuesday but said then he didn't want to immediately announce that he would have the interim tag removed.
"I do think that Pat did a very, very good job, especially under the circumstances that he was put in. I think, offensively, we improved a lot in the passing game,'' Zimmer said. "You can look at the statistics from when he started going and things that we've done after that. I think he had a great relationship with (quarterback) Sam (Bradford). I think the offensive players respect him.''
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Bradford set an NFL record with a completion percentage of 71.6. Shurmur had served as Bradford's offensive coordinator in 2010 with the St. Louis Rams and in 2015 with the Philadelphia Eagles.
