Mike Zimmer (Coach)

Mike Zimmer Will Not Return To Cowboys, Likely To Retire

January 26th, 2025 at 12:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

When the Cowboys elected to part ways with former head coach Mike McCarthy earlier this month, the writing was on the wall for defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who joined the Dallas staff in 2024 and whose future with the club was tied to McCarthy’s. Zimmer has now confirmed that he will not return to the Cowboys as a member of new HC Brian Schottenheimer’s staff, and that he will likely retire from coaching in the NFL (per WFAA’s Ed Werder, who confirms prior reports that Matt Eberflus is in line to replace Zimmer as DC).

Given that Zimmer is now 68, retirement was an obvious option as soon as it became clear he was unlikely to be back with the Cowboys in 2025. Now, it seems he is more certain about stepping away from the NFL sidelines for good. Werder adds Zimmer likely would have been interested in Dallas’ HC position had he received an offer, but that did not come to pass.

Zimmer began his coaching career as a defensive assistant with the University of Missouri in 1979, and his first professional gig came as a defensive assistant on the Cowboys’ staff in 1994 (he earned a Super Bowl ring as a member of the club in 1995). He worked his way up the Dallas ranks and operated as the team’s defensive coordinator from 2000-06 before taking the same job with the Falcons in 2007 and then working as the Bengals’ DC from 2008-13.

Although Cincinnati famously never won a playoff game during Marvin Lewis‘ tenure as head coach, Zimmer’s arrival in the Queen City coincided with the team’s ascension to regular competitiveness. During his six-year stint as defensive coordinator, the Bengals never finished lower than 15th in total defense and posted two top-10 and two top-five finishes in that span. That run of success garnered Zimmer head coaching interest, and the Vikings hired him as their HC in 2014.

Over the course of eight years in Minnesota, Zimmer coached the team to a record of .500 or better five times. The Vikings made three playoff appearances during his tenure, but after a pair of losing seasons in 2020 and ’21 – along with no runs beyond the divisional round during his overall time in Minnesota – Zimmer was dismissed. For the following two years, he remained out of the pro game by handling a consultant role under Deion Sanders at Jackson State and then Colorado.

After seeing Dan Quinn depart to take the Commanders’ head coaching gig, the Cowboys prioritized experience in looking for his replacement. Rex Ryan was firmly in the running last offseason, but in the end Zimmer returned to his former position amidst high expectations. Quinn led Dallas’ defense to a fifth-place finish in both points and yards allowed in 2023, and a repeat of that performance would have gone a long way in allowing for another postseason appearance this past year.

In addition to Zimmer’s unit losing a number of key players after they followed Quinn to Washington, though, injuries were a defining aspect of the campaign. The likes of Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, Trevon Diggs and DeMarvion Overshown (amongst others) all missed time with major ailments and the Cowboys ranked near the bottom of the league in several defensive categories. Especially with McCarthy not coming back, Zimmer’s decision to step away comes as little surprise.

The latter said in August he would welcome the opportunity to once again serve as a head coach in the NFL, but he added he felt that would be unlikely. Interest in Zimmer could be generated if he changed course and elected to continue coaching, but for the time being it appears his time on the sidelines is coming to an end after 23 years as either a coordinator or head coach at the pro level.

Rory Parks contributed to this post.

Cowboys’ Mike Zimmer Undecided On Future

January 14th, 2025 at 1:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

It was learned yesterday that Mike McCarthy will not remain in place as the Cowboys’ head coach. As the team’s search for his replacement begins, questions about his staff will be raised.

The name garnering the most attention at this point is defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. The 68-year-old returned to Dallas this past offseason after Dan Quinn departed to become the Commanders’ head coach. Zimmer held the role of DC for the Cowboys from 2000-06, and his decision to again serve in that role met the team’s desire for a veteran coordinator.

Last month, owner Jerry Jones acknowledged he essentially viewed McCarthy and Zimmer as a package deal. Given the uncertainty surrounding the former at the time, questions have lingered regarding the latter since yesterday’s news. Nothing final has been decided in Zimmer’s case at this point, but a Monday report noted he has given thought to retirement.

On Tuesday, Zimmer informed Tom Pelissero of NFL Network that “all options are on the table” with respect to his future. Each of McCarthy’s now ex-assistants are free to speak with interested teams at any time, and it will be interesting to see if he has a market for a different coordinator gig. Whether or not a position in Dallas will be available for 2025 will of course be tied to the team’s next head coach. The Cowboys are one of five teams seeking out a HC hire, something Zimmer has experience with.

The former Vikings head coach said he is open to another chance to lead an NFL team, although at the time he noted his uncertainty in such a possibility arising. Still, Zimmer told Pelissero he “really enjoys” coaching, so it would not come as a surprise if he showed interest in continuing his career. Over his tenure in Minnesota, he compiled a record of 72-56-1, reaching double-digit wins in a season three times. Given his experience, Zimmer could also receive looks for a defensive coordinator position if the Bengals, Colts or Falcons were to show interest. In any case, his future will be one of the interesting storylines to follow as the 2025 coaching landscape takes shape.

Mike McCarthy Fallout: Failed Negotiations, Cowboys Candidates, McCarthy Suitors

January 13th, 2025 at 9:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The Mike McCarthy era in Dallas finally came to an end today, as the team announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing their head coach. With McCarthy’s contract set to expire tomorrow, the two sides were reportedly negotiating the terms of a new deal. However, it sounds like true contract talks never took place.

In a statement, owner Jerry Jones clearly stated that he made the determination to move on from McCarthy before any contract talks could commence.

“Over the past week, Mike [McCarthy] and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team,” Jones said (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”

While Jones’ statement was pretty clear, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero slightly pushes back at the notion that the two sides never discussed a new contract. Pelissero somewhat points to semantics, noting that “contract negotiations” would signal a definitive exchange of proposals (vs. the informal “talks”). Either way, the reporter believes the two sides did indeed discuss a path forward but ultimately couldn’t agree on contract length.

It didn’t take long for the Cowboys to start preparing for their impending head coaching search. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the team’s decision makers took part in “inclusive hiring training” this afternoon, only hours after news broke of the McCarthy divorce. Soon, we’ll start hearing of some definitive candidates, but the rumor mill is already churning with potential names. Deion Sanders has already been linked to the Cowboys, and there are some initial rumblings surrounding other big names.

Predictably, the biggest name on the market will be connected to the offseason’s biggest vacancy. Sources told Jonathan Jones that Bill Belichick could be towards the top of the organization’s list of candidates, and sources also told the reporter that the iconic HC would have interest in the Dallas gig if it became available. While Belichick’s UNC contract includes a $10MM buyout, sources believe that penalty wouldn’t stop owners from pursuing the future Hall of Famer. Still, many reporters (including Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com) are skeptical that Jones would be willing to pay for a buyout…a relevant note in their potential pursuits of Belichick and Sanders.

Jonathan Jones also suggests that the Cowboys could look to the college ranks for another candidate: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian. The long-time college coach has never held the HC role in the NFL, although he did have a stint as the Falcons offensive coordinator. Sarkisian would also require a buyout. Among current NFL coaches, two popular names are also expected to be on the team’s list of candidates. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says Eagles OC Kellen Moore is a name to watch. Moore, of course, finished his playing career with the Cowboys before moving to the sideline, where he worked his way up from QBs coach to offensive coordinator.

The Cowboys will presumably also have interest in Lions Ben Johnson, but the team missed their window to interview the popular HC candidate. As Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz notes, the Cowboys will now have to wait until Detroit is knocked out of the playoffs until they can talk to Johnson about their vacancy. Fortunately, Jonathan Jones notes that Johnson shut down communication with teams following the first round of interviews, as the coordinator is now solely focused on Detroit’s playoff run. So, if the Cowboys do truly have interest in Johnson, it shouldn’t take a whole lot for the team to make up ground on their competition.

As for McCarthy, the veteran head coach has reportedly already scheduled an interview with the Bears, and NFL Network’s Jane Slater says Chicago’s interest is “very real.” ESPN’s Adam Schefter says the Saints are also expected to show interest in McCarthy; New Orleans was listed as a potential landing spot for the coach before his ouster in Dallas.

The rest of McCarthy’s staff is also free to speak with teams starting today, per Albert Breer of SI.com. Practically the entire Cowboys staff had expiring contracts, and Slater notes that there were some assistants who grew tired of the lack of uncertainty over their futures. It sounds like that includes Mike Zimmer, as the defensive coordinator has contemplated retirement, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. Zimmer just joined the Cowboys last offseason, and it was believed that his status with the organization would be tied to McCarthy’s status.

Mike Zimmer’s Cowboys Future Could Be Tied To Mike McCarthy’s

December 23rd, 2024 at 9:46am CST by Adam La Rose

Mike McCarthy‘s job security with the Cowboys has been a key talking point throughout the campaign, and it will not be resolved one way or the other until at least the end of the regular season. Owner Jerry Jones has consistently praised the team’s head coach, who like the other members of his staff is on an expiring contract.

“All I can say is what a good job, how good a job he’s doing,” Jones said of McCarthy after the Cowboys’ win on Sunday night (via Stephen Hawkins of the Associated Press). “Don’t have thoughts that I would share as to anything about what we do… after we’re through playing this year.”

Jones has remained steadfast in avoiding any declarations about McCarthy’s future since confirming the former Packers Super Bowl winner would remain in place through the current campaign regardless of the team’s performance. He has since left the door open to McCarthy receiving a new deal, but the way in which the season ends will play a role in determining Dallas’ direction. Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers represented the Cowboys’ fourth victory in their past five games, and delivering strong performances during the remaining two weeks could help McCarthy’s stock.

Regardless of what happens on that front, the status of the rest of the staff will be worth following as well. In the case of defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, it remains to be seen what will happen, particularly if McCarthy is not retained. Dan Quinn‘s decision to take the Commanders’ head coaching job created a vacancy, and Zimmer returned to the Cowboys as DC after previously holding that title. The former Vikings head coach made it clear this offseason he would welcome the chance to serve as a head coach again, although he does not expect that opportunity to arise. When asked if McCarthy and Zimmer are viewed as a package deal in Dallas, Jones answered in the affirmative.

“In a way I do,” Jones said (via WFAA’s Ed Werder).“Especially after the last ball games. I think you’re seeing the best of Mike Zimmer. I should say you’re getting to see some of the best, and maybe the best is still ahead of us. It’s been really impressive [with] the attrition we’ve had and the availability of our players. I give him that.”

Dallas has been hit hard by injuries on both sides of the ball, but the team’s 7-8 record offers optimism for the future if a return to health takes place in 2025. Plenty still needs to be decided in advance of next year (by which point team and player will hope to have a Micah Parsons extension worked out), but McCarthy and Zimmer may have helped their chances of remaining in Dallas beyond the next two weeks.

Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer Addresses Vikings Exit, Future HC Plans

August 31st, 2024 at 3:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

Mike Zimmer was out of the NFL for the past two years after his tenure as head coach of the Vikings came to an end. He is now in place as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator, a return to the role he held from 2000-06.

Head coach Mike McCarthy is believed to have preferred promoting Joe Whitt to take over from Dan Quinn, but Zimmer will assume those duties after agreeing to once again work under owner Jerry Jones. Zimmer’s time in Minnesota did not end on a high note, though he received interest from other suitors this offseason before taking the Dallas gig. Comments he recently made when reflecting on his head coaching tenure illustrate the circumstances surrounding his departure.

In an interview with Mark Craig of the Minnesota Star Tribune, Zimmer admitted to his coaching approach and personality clashing with players and staff members at times. After he was fired, a number of public criticisms were levied against the 68-year-old, who noted that he “holds a grudge.” That is not the case for linebacker Eric Kendricks, who lamented the culture Zimmer established in Minnesota but chose to sign with the Cowboys in free agency because doing so allowed him to reunite with his former head coach. Kendricks will play a key role in Dallas’ efforts to improve against the run under Zimmer.

The latter added that his relationship with Vikings ownership and ex-general manager Rick Spielman deteriorated during the end of his time in Minnesota. The 2021 draft in particular – during which Spielman attempted to move up in the first round to select Justin Fields and ultimately selected fellow quarterback Kellen Mond in the third – did not sit well with Zimmer, who wanted more emphasis to be placed on defensive additions. The longtime staffer said he and Spielman have not spoken since the 2021 campaign, their last working together.

Minnesota posted a record of 8-8 or better each year from 2015-19. That span included five total postseason contests across three years, but the Vikings were unable to proceed past the divisional round during Zimmer’s tenure. After going a combined 15-18 during their last two years in place, Zimmer and Spielman were fired once the 2021 season ended. A head coaching gig could await Zimmer depending on how he performs in Dallas, but he does not appear to be eyeing a return to that role.

“Guys with worse records than me have gotten second chances, but I don’t see it happening because of my age,” Zimmer – who sports a .562 winning percentage – said. “And now teams also want whoever can coach the quarterback. It is what it is.”

McCarthy’s inability to translate 12-win seasons into playoff success over the past three years has left him on the hot seat entering 2024. The coming campaign represents the final one of his contract, and last year’s underwhelming wild-card loss is the main reason Jones has not authorized a new deal for the former Super Bowl winner. McCarthy’s focus will remain on the Cowboys’ offense in 2024, but expectations will be high for Zimmer to help the team remain strong against the pass while overseeing improvement in the front seven. The future of bother staffers beyond this year is uncertain, but improving his stock may not lead to Zimmer pursuing a second head coaching gig.

LB Eric Kendricks Addresses Cowboys Deal

May 27th, 2024 at 4:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

Eric Kendricks had a deal in place to sign with the 49ers this offseason, but he ended up backing out of that agreement to join the Cowboys. The veteran linebacker reunited with Mike Zimmer in the process, and that was a factor in his decision to sign with Dallas.

“Yeah absolutely, I always appreciated Zim,” Kendricks said (via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News). “Just the amount of defense I learned when I was underneath him. The way I watch film, the way we break things down, the install, a lot of things I learned from Zim and we had some good years and I can’t wait to continue that.”

Zimmer’s head coaching tenure of the Vikings came to an end when he was fired following the 2021 season. His dismissal (along with that of general manager Rick Spielman) came amidst reports of a rift between that pairing and the players. Kendricks himself publicly lamented the “culture of fear” which was in place under Zimmer. The latter was out of coaching for two seasons before taking the Cowboys’ DC gig.

Zimmer will be charged with replicating the success Dallas saw with Dan Quinn at the helm on defense; the unit ranked no worse than seventh in points allowed over the past three years. Linebacker is a spot filled with question marks going into 2024, though, and Kendricks figures to serve in a starting role. The 32-year-old took less money to join the Cowboys, eschewing what would have been a short-term gig as a first-teamer in San Francisco.

Kendricks had an eight-year run in Minnesota, starting 127 games along the way. He earned first-team All-Pro honors along with a Pro Bowl nod in 2019, and he has recorded at least 107 tackles every season since. The UCLA alum will see plenty of playing time in a linebacker unit which no longer includes the retired Leighton Vander Esch. Dallas will depend on Kendricks as an experienced producer alongside the likes of Damone Clark, DeMarvion Overshown and Marist Liufau. Any potential tension with Zimmer has been dealt with by now.

“I respect him fully,” Kendricks added. “We’re going to get this thing going. I had a talk with him this past weekend. We’re excited to have this opportunity to work together again and play off each other.”

Cowboys Targeted Former Head Coach For DC Role; Mike Zimmer Received Other Offers

February 16th, 2024 at 10:42am CST by Sam Robinson

In place on the Cowboys’ coaching staff for 13 years, Mike Zimmer was a valued assistant in Dallas over a few HC regimes. The former Vikings leader will join a staff that resides on unstable ground, but familiarity drew the veteran back to Texas.

Zimmer is joining a coaching staff that centers around one of his longtime NFC North rivals. He and Mike McCarthy coached against each other for five seasons while tied to the Vikings and Packers. McCarthy will call on Zimmer to help save his job. Although the Cowboys were believed to want to promote Joe Whitt and interviewed D-line coach Aden Durde, it appears their qualifications did not meet McCarthy’s target. Expected to go into the 2024 season a lame duck, McCarthy said he prioritized a defensive coordinator with HC experience.

“I think the importance of the leadership role on defense, outside of scheme, calling games and coaching players, there is so much more that goes on as far as an assistant coaches,” McCarthy said, via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer. “I think it’s important. Mike’s had experience and success he’s had at every level is what makes this a great fit.”

The Cowboys’ interview list matches up with this preference. The team met with Ron Rivera and Rex Ryan, with the latter drawing some 11th-hour buzz during the process. Zimmer’s deal took a few days to finalize, but he had emerged as the frontrunner. The eight-year Minnesota coach becomes the second former HC McCarthy has hired to run his defense in Dallas, following Dan Quinn. McCarthy went in this direction with two of his DC hires in Green Bay as well, bringing in Dom Capers (2009) and Mike Pettine (2018).

Zimmer, 67, was only connected to the Cowboys this offseason and only mentioned as interviewing with the Broncos in 2023. The longtime NFL staffer, however, said (via Archer) he had options to return to the league since the Vikings fired him in January 2022. Zimmer chose the Cowboys due to trust. Considering how long his first Dallas tenure lasted, it is unsurprising he holds the organization in high regard.

Debuting as an NFL assistant on Barry Switzer‘s first staff back in 1994, Zimmer stayed on through the Chan Gailey, Dave Campo and Bill Parcells regimes. Parcells went as far to leave Zimmer — promoted to defensive coordinator under Campo — in place as his DC throughout his four-year tenure, which ended in 2006. Zimmer left to become Bobby Petrino‘s defensive coordinator in 2007, landing his launching-pad role as Bengals DC following Petrino’s quick Atlanta exit. After the Vikings stay, Zimmer helped ex-Cowboys charge Deion Sanders out at both Jackson State and Colorado. This will be Zimmer’s fourth NFL DC gig.

Unlike Quinn, Zimmer probably will not be a candidate to become a head coach again. As Steve Spagnuolo has shown in Kansas City and as Wade Phillips demonstrated in Denver and Los Angeles, value can come from hiring an accomplished coordinator who is not a true HC candidate. McCarthy will bet on Zimmer to help keep Dallas’ defense among the NFL’s best. Although the bar will be higher for the fifth-year Cowboys HC, given what he has already accomplished in Dallas, Zimmer rolling out a strong defense would certainly help McCarthy’s cause.

Giants Block Cowboys’ Interview Request With Andre Patterson

February 13th, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Ben Levine

The Giants have denied their defensive line coach an opportunity to interview with a division rival. Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants denied the Cowboys’ request to interview defensive line coach Andre Patterson. The Cowboys were presumably looking to hire Patterson for the same role, and the Giants rejected the potential lateral move.

It’s not a huge surprise that new Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer tried to recruit Patterson to Dallas. The coaches worked alongside each other with the Vikings, where Patterson climbed his way up from defensive line coach to co-defensive coordinator. As ESPN’s Jordan Raanan points out, Zimmer and Patterson have a strong relationship, and the Cowboys wouldn’t have reached out unless the current Giants coach was at least entertaining the idea of a move.

On the flip side, there wouldn’t be much incentive for the Giants letting a respected coach walk to a division rival. Patterson has spent the past two seasons in New York, and despite an overhaul of the defensive coaching staff this offseason, the veteran coach was one of the few to stick around. In fact, the Giants made it clear to potential defensive coordinator candidates that they intended to keep Patterson on their next defensive staff (per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post). During his time in New York, the DL coach has been credited with guiding Dexter Lawrence to two All-Pro nods.

Patterson has been coaching since the ’80s, spending time in both the NFL and college football. He often held the title of defensive line coach, including a three-year stint with the Cowboys in the early 2000s. Zimmer coaxed him out of the NCAA back in 2014, and Patterson has spent nearly the past decade coaching in the NFL.

As Art Stapleton of USA Today points out, the move could also be a bit of payback from the Giants organization. When Zimmer was in Minnesota, he denied the Giants’ request to interview Kevin Stefanski for an offensive coordinator job despite already having an offensive coordinator of his own (John DeFilippo).

Cowboys To Hire Mike Zimmer As DC

February 12th, 2024 at 9:55pm CST by Ben Levine

FEBRUARY 12: Despite it being learned over the past two days that Ryan was still in the running for the job, the Cowboys have indeed gone with Zimmer for their DC post. The parties reached agreement on Monday, Pelissero reports. Zimmer will thus make his return to where his NFL coaching career began, and take on his first pro position since 2021. Ryan, meanwhile, is poised to spend another year out of the coaching ranks.

FEBRUARY 11: Gehlken reports the Cowboys-Zimmer agreement has still not been finalized, something echoed by Ryan on ESPN’s NFL Countdown (video link). The latter said he contacted head coach Mike McCarthy about the Dallas DC vacancy, which set up his interview with the team. While a long-awaited return to the coaching ranks on Ryan’s part would come as a surprise given last week’s reporting, Zimmer’s hire does not appear to be a lock at this point.

FEBRUARY 8: The Cowboys looked at a number of candidates to replace Dan Quinn at defensive coordinator, and they’ve finally settled on their choice. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Cowboys are expected to hire Mike Zimmer as their defensive coordinator. Per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News, there are some “logistics to [be] completed,” but Zimmer is the choice for the job.

Since he was fired as Vikings head coach following the 2021 campaign, Zimmer has been away from the NFL. He had a brief stint as a consultant at Jackson State in 2022, and it was assumed that the veteran coach would eventually look to return to the big leagues. Ultimately, he’ll land with the organization that gave him his first NFL gig back in 1994.

Zimmer started as a defensive assistant in Dallas, but it only took him a year before he earned a promotion to defensive backs coach. He earned a promotion to defensive coordinator when Dave Campo took over as head coach in 2000, and he stuck around the organization when the Cowboys pivoted to Bill Parcells in 2003. After more than a decade in Dallas, he had a one-year stint as the Falcons defensive coordinator before moving to the Bengals, where he’d serve as the DC for the next six years.

Thanks to his defensive track record, Zimmer was named the Vikings head coach in 2014. He ended up spending eight seasons in Minnesota, guiding the Vikings to three playoff appearances. This included a 2017 campaign where the Vikings went 13-3 in the regular season before falling to the Eagles in the NFC Championship Game.

While the wheels never completely fell off in Minnesota, the Vikings went 15-18 between the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He was fired following that 2021 campaign, ending his Vikings tenure with a 72-56-1 record.

The Cowboys job was certainly an enticing opportunity for Zimmer as he looked to return to the NFL. Dallas finished in the top seven in scoring defense during each of Quinn’s three seasons calling plays, and the unit had perhaps their most productive season in 2023. The Cowboys defense finished this past season having allowed the fifth-fewest yards and fifth-fewest points in the NFL.

While Quinn turned down previous head coaching opportunities, he left the Cowboys for the Commanders earlier this month. The Cowboys quickly looked to replace their departed coach. The team considered a number of inside candidates for promotions, including defensive line coach Aden Durde, cornerbacks coach Al Harris, and defensive backs coach Joe Whitt, who ended up joining Quinn as the DC in Washington. In addition to Zimmer, the outside candidates included Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel, former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, and former Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Cowboys Remain In Contact With Rex Ryan Over DC Position

February 12th, 2024 at 1:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

A report from last week tapped Mike Zimmer as the next defensive coordinator of the Cowboys. An agreement has not yet been finalized, however, and at least one other candidate is still in the running for the position.

Dallas has remained in contact with Rex Ryan, ESPN’s Adam Schefter explained on a Monday Pat McAfee Show appearance (video link). Schefter himself stated during ESPN’s Super Bowl countdown show on Sunday that the Zimmer hire had been made, but Ryan echoed reports which have noted that a contract is not yet in place. Now, the latter can still be considered a finalist for the role.

Ryan interviewed with Dallas as part of the team’s search for a Dan Quinn replacement. That marked the second straight offseason in which he met over a DC posting, having done so with the Broncos in 2023. The 61-year-old last held a coordinator position during his four-year run at the helm of the Ravens’ defense from 2005-08. That was followed by head coaching opportunities with the Jets and Bills, but he has not coached since being fired by Buffalo in 2016.

While working as an ESPN analyst, Ryan has not been tangibly connected to many NFL openings (either as a head coach or a DC). The fact the Cowboys – who Schefter notes “loved” Ryan after his interview – are still in touch is certainly notable. The team enjoyed success in a number of categories under Quinn during the past three years, but a poor defensive showing in Dallas’ wild-card loss to the Packers played a signficant role in another early postseason exit. Ryan, Zimmer or another candidate will be tasked with maintaining a consistent level of performance on that side of the ball throughout the campaign.

Zimmer has been out of the NFL coaching ranks since he was fired by the Vikings at the end of the 2021 campaign. His tenure as Minnesota’s head coach was preceded in part by a 13-year tenure with the Cowboys, including seven seasons as defensive coordinator. Zimmer would thus represent an experienced option for Mike McCarthy‘s staff and a familiar face for owner Jerry Jones, but he appears to still have competition for a return to where his NFL coaching career began.

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