MINNEAPOLIS — Mike Zimmer is finally a head coach in the NFL. The Minnesota Vikings think now is the time for the veteran defensive coordinator.

The Vikings announced Wednesday night that they had hired Zimmer for their top coaching position.

“I’m extremely excited to bring a championship to the state of Minnesota and to the great fan base of the Vikings,” Zimmer said in a video posted on the team’s Twitter account. “I can’t wait to get to work.”

Long after reports first surfaced about the hire, the Vikings remained quiet. Their silence was strange, considering a report by ESPN that they had already requested and received permission from Cleveland to interview offensive coordinator Norv Turner for the same position in Minnesota. Finally, the Vikings made the announcement shortly after 9 p.m. local time. Zimmer will be the ninth coach in the franchise’s 54 seasons.

“Fans will appreciate Mike’s intensity on the field and his down-to-earth attitude off the field,” Vikings owner Mark Wilf said. “We strongly believe he will help us compete for division championships each year and lead us to our ultimate goal of bringing a Super Bowl championship to Minnesota.”

Tight end Kyle Rudolph, center John Sullivan and defensive end Brian Robison were among the players who expressed excitement about the former Bengals assistant via their Twitter accounts.

“Fired up about Coach Zimmer! As a Cincy kid he’s been fun to watch there and can’t wait to work with him!” Rudolph tweeted.

For the Bengals, the news was bittersweet. Zimmer, who has been an NFL defensive coordinator for the last 14 seasons, spent six of those with Cincinnati.