A familiar face in Dallas, and a former NFL head coach, could be on his way back to the Cowboys to lead their defense.
Mike Zimmer, who worked as an assistant with Dallas for over a decade and most recently led the Minnesota Vikings as their head coach, is meeting with the Cowboys regarding their defensive coordinator gig, according to Adam Schefter on ESPN.
Of course, the job opened up after Dan Quinn left the Cowboys to lead the Washington Commanders as their next head coach for 2024.
“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,” Schefter posted on X. “Zimmer and Dallas are quite familiar with each other; Zimmer worked as an assistant coach in Dallas from 1994-2006.”
The Dallas job will be one of the more coveted, as it’s brimming with talented players ready to make a leap towards contending for a Super Bowl. Zimmer had been one of the top defensive minds over his time in the NFL, and would look to rekindle that fire back at a place he knows so well.
Time will tell if Mike Zimmer is hired by the Dallas Cowboys, but it’s certainly an interesting name as the franchise looks to fill their vacancy.
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Moreover, the former Cowboys coordinator in Dan Quinn, 53, has served Dallas for the past three seasons. Dallas’ defense took a big jump in 2023, finishing as the No. 5 ranked unit in the league. Prior to joining the Cowboys, Quinn spent five plus seasons as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
Quinn went 43-42, leading Atlanta to a Super Bowl defeat in 2016. The Falcons relieved him of his duties after an 0-5 start to the 2020 season. Quinn famously coached the “Legion of Boom” defense in Seattle, helping lead the Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory in 2013.
Quinn turned down head coaching opportunities last offseason in favor of returning to the Cowboys this past season. He now becomes the 31st head coach in Commanders/Redskins history, succeeding Ron Rivera, whom the organization fired after the season ended. With Quinn hired, all eight head coaching vacancies have now been filled.
Washington appeared to be zeroed in on Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Ben Johnson, scheduled to interview him this week following Detroit’s 34-31 NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers this past Sunday. Johnson informed Washington he was staying with the Lions as they were in the air en route to Detroit.
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