FRISCO, Texas — Mike Zimmer was reported last week as the Dallas Cowboys new defensive coordinator, replacing Dan Quinn, who left to become the head coach of the Washington Commanders.
Zimmer spent many years in Dallas as a defensive assistant, then as defensive coordinator from 2000 to 2006. Zimmer served as Atlanta's defensive coordinator in 2007 and Cincinnati's defensive coordinator from 2008 to 2013, before becoming Minnesota's head coach from 2014 to 2021.
Zimmer was formally introduced as Dallas' new DC on Wednesday. Here are the biggest takeaways from what Zimmer said in his introductory press conference:
Cowboys and Zimmer were a perfect match
After two years out of the NFL, Zimmer returns to the franchise he called home for 13 seasons from 1994 to 2006. Zimmer served in multiple defensive coaching roles for the Cowboys during his previous stint with the team, which included a championship season in 1995 – the last time the Cowboys won the Super Bowl.
"Did I ever think I was going to be back? I don’t know, but I hoped I would be," Zimmer admitted, during his introductory press conference on Wednesday morning at The Star in Frisco.
Zimmer said he has two grandkids in the Dallas area, so his return to North Texas comes with the bonus of extra time and closer proximity to them.
“It feels outstanding," Zimmer added. "I’m excited to be around a little more."
For the Cowboys, the fit was sensical and convenient.
With head coach Mike McCarthy entering the final year of his contract, the future coaching staff of the Cowboys is largely dependent on how the 2024 season unfolds.
Given the "one last shot" vibe, it made little sense for the Cowboys to roll the dice on a first-time, unproven defensive coordinator.
Zimmer is a defensive mastermind. He's led multiple defensive units to top-five rankings, over his last 30 years in the league.
The only learning curve will be getting to know the players. From a schematic and experience standpoint, Zimmer is – as McCarthy said Wednesday – "a perfect fit" to replace Dan Quinn.
Cowboys defensive scheme will not change a lot under Zimmer
Zimmer has had plenty of success in the NFL as a defensive coach, but even he can put his pride aside to acknowledge how the Cowboys defense does not require radical change.
“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel here," Zimmer noted. "They’ve been pretty good.”
While the Cowboys' Wild Card Playoff loss to the Packers sticks in fans' teeth, it should not completely overshadow the defense's body of work. Over the last three years, the Cowboys D has consistently been among the league's best.
The top pass rushing unit in football has not been consistently good against the run. That will assuredly be a point of emphasis under Zimmer.
Zimmer consulted for Deion Sanders
After eight years as head coach of the Vikings, Zimmer was fired in January 2022. Since then, he has spent the last two years as a consultant for Jackson State and Colorado. However, the more apt job title would be "Consultant to Coach Prime."
“We’ve become unbelievably great friends," Zimmer said. "I haven’t spent as much time at Jackson State & Colorado as people think, but we speak on the phone a lot about coaching and coaches.”
Zimmer overlapped with the Colorado football coach and Hall of Famer for five seasons in Dallas from 1995-1999.
Zimmer embraces "The Jerk"
In one of a few moments of levity, Zimmer proclaimed, "“There’s a reputation out there that I’m a jerk."
After the hire was announced, Zimmer said he heard from many former players who wished him well.
"If I was such a jerk, I wouldn’t be hearing from those guys."
Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn was beloved by his players, especially Micah Parsons.
It will be incumbent upon Zimmer to establish a similar rapport and trust with the players to expedite the buy-in process.
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