After the disastrous end of the 2013 season, head coach Leslie Frazier was fired and the team began their search for the ninth head coach in team history. Among the candidates they interviewed were Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jay Gruden (who ended up as the head coach of the Washington Redskins), former Vikings (and Seattle Seahawks) offensive coordinator Darell Bevell, and Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. After several weeks, Zimmer was named the ninth head coach in Vikings history on January 15, 2014. Coordinators Bill Musgrave and Alan Williams were replaced by former Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner and former Miami Dolphins linebacker coach George Edwards, respectively. Zimmer had been a coordinator and assistant coach within the NFL for two decades, but this was his first head coaching job in the NFL. With Josh Freeman's departure, Matt Cassel was widely expected to start the season at QB, with former first-round pick Christian Ponder as his backup. However, many in the Minnesota sports media felt that Ponder no longer was a part of the Vikings overall plans. The team drafted UCLA linebacker Anthony Barr with the 9th overall pick, and also drafted Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater with the last pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft, trading a 2nd- and 4th-round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for the 32nd pick. The team was reportedly ready to draft polarizing Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, but the Cleveland Browns ended up drafting him 22nd overall. Bridgewater would later get the starting job at the quarterback position when Cassel went out with a season-ending foot injury. Though the Vikings struggled offensively and once again got eliminated from playoff contention, Bridgewater showed signs of being a potential franchise quarterback, and the Vikings' defense had also improved from last season, to offset the struggles. The Vikings improved on their five-win 2013 season with an overtime win over the New York Jets, who the Vikings hadn't beaten since 1975. That game saw wide receiver Jarius Wright turn a screen pass from Bridgewater into an 87-yard touchdown. A 13–9 win over the Bears in the season finale helped the Vikings avoid being swept by the division, and ended up with a 7–9 record.