On Thursday, the Washington Commanders hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn to fill the open head coaching post. Quinn’s departure after three seasons has left the Cowboys in need of a defensive playcaller. Dallas has acted swiftly, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that the NFC East team will interview former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer.
Former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, who last coached in the NFL in 2021, is interviewing with the Cowboys about the defensive coordinator position, according to league sources.
The Cowboys will also reportedly interview former Washington head coach Ron Rivera. Quinn took Rivera’s spot with the Commanders.
Zimmer last coached at Jackson State as an analyst/consultant in 2022, but he might return to the sidelines next autumn. The Dallas Cowboys want to interview the 67-year-old shortly. In 1979, he began coaching with the Missouri Tigers as a defensive assistant. He departed for Weber State in 1981, where he coached linebackers and defensive backs until 1988. Zimmer was hired as the Washington State Cougars’ defensive coordinator in 1989 and served there for five years.
Zimmer joined the NFL in 1994, coaching defense for the Dallas Cowboys. He switched to coaching defensive backs in 1995 and won the Super Bowl that year. In 2000, the Cowboys elevated Zimmer to defensive coordinator, and Dallas allowed 22.6 points per game. The 2002 defense under Zimmer allowed only 16.3 points per game, the second-lowest total that season.
The Illinois native departed for the Atlanta Falcons in 2007 with the same job title. After the Falcons failed, he accepted the position of defensive coordinator with the Cincinnati Bengals. From 2008 to 2014, he called Cincinnati’s defensive plays. He ultimately got his first head coaching job in 2014, with the Minnesota Vikings. Zimmer was 72-56-1 as a frontman, reaching the playoffs three times in eight seasons.
