On Thursday, the Washington Commanders stole Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to fill their vacant head coaching position. The Cowboys are now in need of a defensive play-caller, with Quinn out after three seasons. Dallas has moved quickly, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that the NFC East club will interview former Minnesota Vikings bench boss Mike Zimmer.
Former Vikings’ head coach Mike Zimmer, who last worked in the NFL in 2021, is meeting with the Cowboys about their defensive coordinator job, per league sources.
Zimmer and Dallas are quite familiar with each other; Zimmer worked as an assistant coach in Dallas from 1994-2006. pic.twitter.com/hAyQiDdgAk
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 3, 2024
The Cowboys will also reportedly interview former Washington head coach Ron Rivera. Quinn took Rivera’s spot with the Commanders.
Mike Zimmer: Eyeing Potential Return to Coaching
Zimmer last coached at Jackson State as an analyst/consultant in 2022 but could return to the sidelines next fall. The Dallas Cowboys plan on interviewing the 67-year-old soon. He began his coaching career with the Missouri Tigers in 1979 as a defensive assistant. He left for Weber State in 1981, coaching linebackers and defensive backs until 1988. Zimmer landed the Washington State Cougars defensive coordinator job in 1989, where he spent five years.
Zimmer moved to the NFL in 1994, coaching defensive with the Dallas Cowboys. He transitioned to coaching defensive backs in 1995, winning the Super Bowl that season. The Cowboys promoted Zimmer to defensive coordinator in 2000, with Dallas surrendering 22.6 points per game. The 2002 defense under Zimmer allowed only 16.3 points per game, the second-lowest mark that season.
The Illinois native left for the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 under the same job title. After the Falcons struggled, he took the DC job with the Cincinnati Bengals. He called defensive plays for Cincy from 2008 to 2014. He finally landed his first head coaching gig 2014 with the Minnesota Vikings. Zimmer went 72-56-1 as the frontman, making the playoffs three times in eight seasons.
Dallas Cowboys: Electric on Defense in 2023
The Cowboys allowed 18.5 points per game, the fifth-lowest mark in the NFL. They held opposing passers to 3,185 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 17 interceptions. Meanwhile, they allowed just 4.2 rushing yards per attempt. After leading the league with nine interceptions and five interception returns, Corner DaRon Bland made first-team All-Pro and earned a Pro Bowl nod.
Linebacker Micah Parsons and edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence also made the Pro Bowl. Parsons led the team with 14 sacks, while Lawrence had ten TFLs. The Cowboys will look to create a playoff run next season after falling short this year during Super Wild Card Weekend. Dallas lost to the Green Bay Packers at home despite being more than a touchdown favorite.
For More Football News:
Follow me on Twitter at @alec_musa. You can also reach out to me via email at musaalec@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest college and NFL news, click here!
