LAS VEGAS: The Dallas Cowboys have hired a sort of “made man” within the organization to assume the position of defensive coordinator following the departure of Dan Quinn.
As Dan Quinn took the head coaching position with the Washington Commanders last week, Mike Zimmer is returning to Dallas. Thursday night here in Las Vegas, CowboysSI.com confirmed the Zimmer plan.
1. Dallas desired a coordinator with experience, perhaps even head coaching experience, similar to Quinn before him. That was going to make it difficult for any internal contender to surpass the 67-year-old former Minnesota Vikings head coach Zimmer.
2-Since his NFL debut in 1994, Zimmer has shared a special relationship and trust with the Jones family. and served as the team’s head coach four separate times before leaving in 2006.
The consistent one during all of that, including the last seven seasons of defensive coordinator Zimmer’s stay here? Jones Jerry. Early in this process, CowboysSI.com indicated that the team owner would be involved in decision-making.
Some may refer to this as “meddling.” However, it’s typical in Dallas. Over the years, there have been changes in head coaching here, and Zimmer has profited from that. And when friend Mike Nolan, hired with complete blanche by current coach Mike McCarthy, didn’t pan out in the first year? The front desk assisted McCarthy in making a decision.
3. He has easily prevailed. He was a member of the Dallas team that won the Super Bowl in Dallas in 1995. holds a 74-59-1 record in his role as head coach in Minnesota.
More specifically, though, Zimmer has outperformed Quinn in the fight against the “Kyle Shanahan Tree of Coaches.”
Despite all of the great things Quinn accomplished during his three seasons here, including developing the careers of players like Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and DaRon Bland and building a takeaway machine that ranked among the top five in 2023 in terms of yards allowed (299.7) and points allowed (18.5), Dallas has consistently been beaten by Shanahan’s 49ers and teams led by his protégés.
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