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Cowboys Hiring Ex-Vikings Coach Mike Zimmer as Defensive Coordinator

Zimmer is back in the NFL after being away from the league for a couple years.
Will Ragatz|
Cowboys Hiring Ex-Vikings Coach Mike Zimmer as Defensive Coordinator
Cowboys Hiring Ex-Vikings Coach Mike Zimmer as Defensive Coordinator

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Minnesota Vikings

Former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is back in the NFL. He's returning to the Dallas Cowboys as their defensive coordinator, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Zimmer replaces Dan Quinn, who was hired as the Commanders' head coach earlier this offseason.

Zimmer spent the last two seasons away from the NFL after being fired by the Vikings following the 2021 season. He was an analyst for Jackson State under Deion Sanders in 2022. Now the 67-year-old is back in what feels like a dream landing spot for him.

Before he was the Vikings' head coach for eight years, and before stints as the DC in Atlanta and Cincinnati, Zimmer spent 13 seasons as an assistant coach with the Cowboys from 1994-2006. He started out as a defensive assistant for one year, spent five years as the defensive backs coach in Dallas, and then spent seven seasons as the Cowboys' DC.

Zimmer is a highly-respected defensive mind who had success in Dallas, Cincinnati, and Minnesota. He led the Vikings to two NFC North titles and three playoff berths in eight seasons, including a trip to the 2017 NFC title game. From 2015-19, the Vikings' defense consistently ranked among the league's best. In '17, they were absolutely dominant and the clear No. 1 D in football. Zimmer is known for running aggressive, versatile 4-3 defenses that give offenses a lot to think about both before and after the snap.

Why's this such a great landing spot for Zimmer? Not only is he already quite familiar with Jerry Jones and the organization (even if it's been nearly two decades since his last Cowboys tenure ended), he's also taking over a defense loaded with talent. He'll be coaching perennial DPOY candidate Micah Parsons and other standouts like DaRon Bland and DeMarcus Lawrence.

It'll be good to see Zim back coaching again, even if this feels like bad news for the rest of the NFC.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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