Cowboys Hire Zimmer as DC

It is a family reunion at ‘The Star’.

The Dallas Cowboys have agreed to terms with former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer to make him their next defensive coordinator, according to a league source. NFL Network was the first to report this news.

Zimmer would replace Dan Quinn, who is now the head coach of their division rival the Washington Commanders.

Although Zimmer has not been a part of the NFL in a coaching capacity for the last two seasons, he makes sense for the job because of his ties and familiarity with Mike McCarthy and with the Cowboys organization. Dallas had their eye on someone with both head coaching and defensive coordinator experience. Zimmer has done both in his career. His No. 1 priority and task as Cowboys defensive coordinator will be bringing alive the team’s despondent run defense.

“I’m excited and honored to be back with a great organization,” Zimmer told ESPN’s Ed Werder. “I’m thrilled to work with Mike McCarthy, for whom I have had a ton of respect in our NFC North days, and to do anything I can do to help the Joneses and the Cowboys.”

Next will be finding a way to put superstar DE/LB Micah Parsons in the best position to be as effective late in the season as he had been earlier in the year. Does that mean more snaps at the linebacker position? Does it mean fewer snaps in September and October so that he does not wear down and leave himself susceptible to injuries? Either way, their defense will depend on how far Parson takes them in the 2024 campaign. Improving the run game most likely entails significant upgrades at both linebacker and defensive tackle. Zimmer will have control in how they immediately improve those positions of need. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has stated they will be “all in” this upcoming season. Upgrading in those areas likely means doing something in free agency prior to the draft in late April.

Considering all of the candidates that were being interviewed for the defensive coordinator job, including former head coaches Ron Rivera and Rex Ryan, along with Cowboys assistant coach Aden Durde, Zimmer was the one that seemed to make the most sense. Often in ‘Big D’, the question that is asked when a move is made is: Who made the decision? Was it the owner and general manager, Jones, or was it the head coach? In the case of Zimmer, the respect would come from both sides.

Zimmer had a long career in Dallas, dating back to the 90s dynasty and running through the Bill Parcells era. He cut his teeth as a defensive assistant, became the defensive backs coach and also served as a defensive coordinator. He went on to become a coach in Minnesota for eight years, where he battled for the NFC North crown for years against McCarthy’s Green Bay Packers, even snatching the division from McCarthy grasp a couple of times. As an offensive mind and playcaller, McCarthy has respect for Zimmer and as a coach and person, Jones has familiarity and loyalty. It is easy to see this one being a mutual decision between the primary powers within the Cowboys’ brass.

Zimmer, 67 years old, coached the Vikings from 2014 to 2021. He posted a record of 72-56-1 with the Vikings, the third-winningest coach in Minnesota history. Before the Vikings, Zimmer was defensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals (2008 to 2013), the Atlanta Falcons (2007) and the Cowboys (2000 to 2006).
The Cowboys went 12-5 in 2023, winning the NFC East before flaming out to Jordan Love and the Packers, 48-32 in the NFC wild-card game.

Zimmer is the third defensive coordinator that McCarthy will have worked with in five seasons. Mike Nolan handled the job in 2020 but was replaced by Quinn after the Cowboys surrendered a franchise-record 473 points. Quinn oversaw a defense that led the NFL in takeaways in 2021 and 2022 while helping the Cowboys to three straight 12-5 seasons and three trips to the playoffs.