Mike Zimmer has released his first statement after getting fired by the Minnesota Vikings, thanking the organization, the players and his staff while also apologizing for their failures during his tenure.

The Vikings made the decision to remove Zimmer along with general manager Rick Spielman on Monday after finishing the 2021 campaign with an 8-9 record. They did win three of their last five games–including their 31-17 victory in the season finale in Week 18–to finish second in the NFC North, but their efforts were not enough to propel them to the postseason.

It marked the second straight year (and fifth overall) the Vikings missed the postseason under Zimmer in his eight-year tenure, leading to the Minnesota ownership to clean the house and start anew.