Bengals assistant coach Adam Zimmer dies unexpectedly at 38, his sister announces

Cincinnati Bengals offensive analyst Adam Zimmer has died, his sister announced on social media.

Details of Zimmer’s cause of death have not been released, but his death has been confirmed by the team.

The 38-year-old is the son of former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and worked for his father at several NFL clubs, including the Bengals and Vikings. He worked remotely with the Bengals and is believed not to be present at Monday’s loss to the Cleveland Browns.

Zimmer’s sister Corri shared the news on Instagram. The Zimmers lost their mother, Mike’s wife Vikki, unexpectedly in 2009

Corri Zimmer (left) said his brother Adam (right) often told her how proud he was to be a mother

Zimmer returned to the Bengals in July after eight years in Minnesota with his father. His coaching career began in 2006 as an assistant lineback coach with the New Orleans Saints, who went on to win Super Bowl XLIV.

Zimmer’s mother, Vikki, died unexpectedly in 2009 at the age of 50.

“I can’t believe I’m writing this,” Zimmer’s sister Corri wrote on Instagram alongside several photos of her brother.

“I lost my big brother yesterday,” she continued. The kindest, sweetest, family-loving, sports-obsessed soul there ever was. I’ve felt this pain before, but it’s been a while and I didn’t know I could feel that way again. My heart is shattered and it hurts so much. I don’t know how to juggle the motherhood of a one-year-old twin boy and the grief of losing my brother so unexpectedly. I’m so lost, I’m so overwhelmed, I’m so heartbroken.

“My brother was one of my best friends, especially after my mother died we became so close. He was always there for me and was always the first to show up and volunteer in my foundation events… I never even had to ask for it.

“He always told me what a good job I was doing and how proud he was of me. His support and love for me was SO great and I hope he knew how much I loved him. Over the past year he has told me countless times that he loved seeing how I was a mother and how proud he was of me. Please pray for our family as we try to navigate through this. Lord, we need your strength now more than ever. Please don’t let us lose faith.’

Bengals owner Mike Brown released a statement Tuesday about Zimmer, who previously worked in Cincinnati when his father was the team’s defensive coordinator from 2008 to 2013.

“Our organization has been privileged to know and work with the Zimmer family for 15 years. We have the utmost respect for Mike and Adam, and we are incredibly saddened by this tragic news. Mike and Adam were more than just coaches to us – they were friends. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Zimmer family at this time.”