Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner has resigned, the team announced on Wednesday. Tight ends coach Pat Shurmur will serve as Turner's interim replacement.

A short time later, Turner issued this statement: "I have tremendous respect for [head coach] Mike Zimmer, our coaching staff, and our players and at this time I think it is in the best interest of the team to step down. I thank the Wilf family for my time here in Minnesota and want to see our players and coaches achieve success."

During a midday press conference, Zimmer said he "was very, very surprised" when he learned of Turner's resignation. Also none the wiser: Quarterback Sam Bradford.

The Vikings hired Turner in January 2014 and he was key to Teddy Bridgewater's development as a rookie last season. And when Bridgewater went down with a serious knee injury in August, the expectation was that Turner -- and his offensive philosophy -- would be a good fit for Bradford. It's why the Vikings traded a first- and fourth-round pick to acquire Bradford a week before the season.

Bradford debuted against the Packers in Week 2, completing 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers in a 17-14 win on national television. Days later, Turner came away "very impressed."

"He's everything you look for in a quarterback," Turner said at the time. "I think he's a great passer, and I think he makes great decisions. That combination is what you need in a good quarterback. He can change his delivery, and he can speed up when he needs to. He's got great presence in the pocket. I coached a guy like that for six years in Philip Rivers. They play the game differently. They get rid of the ball quick, and they have great pocket presence."

Now, six weeks later, the Vikings are 5-2 after losing to the Bears on Monday night. The offense has stalled in recent weeks, though it's unclear if that had anything to do with Turner's resignation.

Meanwhile, Bradford is quite familiar with Shurmur. He was Bradford's offensive coordinator in St. Louis and Philadelphia, and that relationship certainly helped immerse him in Turner's offense when he arrived in Minnesota just before the season opener. Whether that's enough to fix things in the middle of the year is another matter, particularly since this offense has issues up and down the lineup.