Zimmer returns as defensive coordinator
Intrigue swirled over the weekend.
Sure, the Cowboys had entered into negotiations with Mike Zimmer to become the team's next defensive coordinator. But that was on Thursday. Was there a hitch? Had Rex Ryan inserted himself back into the process?
Zimmer and the Cowboys laid all of that to rest Monday by finalizing the contract. Don't be fooled by Ryan's public declarations. The Cowboys never waffled on Zimmer, two people with knowledge of the club's thinking said.
Never.
This was simply about hammering out the details of the contract to a point where both sides could accept.
It was Ryan who created doubt with his comments on ESPN'S “Sunday NFL Countdown” ahead of Super Bowl LVIII. The former head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills spoke about his interest in becoming the Cowboys defensive coordinator and how close he believed the team was to breaking through.
“First off, I'm not so sure Zimmer has that job right now,'' said Ryan, who serves as an analyst on the program. “I can honestly say I don't believe that's a fact right now.''
He was right. Zimmer hadn't agreed to a contract at that time. But Ryan's comments should be viewed as a final, public attempt to lobby for the job, not an indication that the Cowboys had wavered or were still weighing Ryan as an option at that stage.
Were Dallas officials impressed by Ryan? Absolutely. He's a bold, engaging personality. He can win an interview. And did.
But once the decision was made to pursue Zimmer, there was no looking back.
Now, does that mean owner Jerry Jones is above using Ryan's interest as leverage to forge a more favorable deal with Zimmer when those two sides couldn't reach an immediate agreement?
What do you think? “We've determined who we might want, but that has…they've got to agree to the way we want it to be,'' owner Jerry Jones said Thursday night at the NFL Honors ceremony. “So there you go.''
And Zimmer, as expected, has returned to the Cowboys as their defensive coordinator.
Zimmer is rejoining the Cowboys 18 years after serving in the same role for Dallas. He later spent eight years as Minnesota's head coach.
The Cowboys had an opening after Dan Quinn accepted the head coaching job in Washington. Quinn replaced Ron Rivera, one of the coaches Dallas interviewed to take over for Quinn.
The 67-year-old Zimmer spent 14 years as a defensive coordinator before taking over the Vikings in 2014. The first seven of those seasons were with the Cowboys before one in Atlanta and six with Cincinnati.
Zimmer's debut as defensive coordinator in Dallas was 2000, the first of three 5-11 seasons under former coach Dave Campo. Zimmer remained on the staff after Bill Parcells was hired, and the Cowboys made the playoffs twice in the next four seasons.