Mike Zimmer said Tuesday the Vikings have no interest in controversial free-agent offensive lineman Richie Incognito and that his recent comment that they do is false.

Incognito said in an interview with TMZ last week that Minnesota and Seattle have expressed interest in him.

“No interest and totally false,” said Zimmer, Minnesota’s coach. “Tweet that.”

Following Zimmer’s comments, Incognito sent out a tweet reading, “Mike Zimmer is a (bleeping) LIAR!!”

Incognito also posted screen grabs of text messages allegedly sent between him and Tony Sparano earlier this year. Sparano was the Vikings’ offensive line coach until he died July 20 from heart disease.

The screen grabs do not offer evidence of Sparano wanting Incognito on the Vikings. Incognito played for Miami from 2010-13, having Sparano as his head coach in his first two seasons with the Dolphins.

After playing with Buffalo last season, Incognito has talked about retiring. However, after the Bills released him in May, there were reports that he might continue to play. Incognito told TMZ he has not decided if he wants to play.

“I’m mulling all options right now,” he said in the interview with TMZ. “I’m just enjoying the offseason right now. I’m a free agent and that’s it. Just waiting on that call. I’ve had calls from Minnesota and Seattle. I really just don’t want to go to training camp, so we’ll see.”

Incognito, 35, is a four-time Pro Bowl selection who has been involved in a number of off-field incidents. He was suspended in November 2013 for misconduct for a bullying incident related to then-Miami teammate Jonathan Martin, and didn’t play the entire 2014 season.

Incognito spent the past three seasons with Buffalo. He was in a mental health clinic in May for three days after a bizarre incident that month at a Florida gym in which he reportedly threw a tennis ball and dumbbell at another gym user and screamed an obscenity at the man.

The Vikings have ongoing injury problems on the offensive line. They could be without starters Pat Elflein, Mike Remmers and Nick Easton for Saturday’s preseason opener at Denver.

Asked if he’s worried about putting quarterback Kirk Cousins behind a makeshift offensive line in his Vikings debut, Zimmer said, “I’m always concerned about everything. It is what it is.”

By Chris Tomasson

Pioneer Press

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