Mike Zimmer Chooses to Depart Cowboys Following Brian Schottenheimer Appointment

“Mike Zimmer tells me that he will not be returning to the Cowboys under Brian Schottenheimer’s coaching staff and is likely to retire from coaching in the NFL,” Werder posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Zimmer served as defensive coordinator last season. The Cowboys are expected to hire Matt Eberflus as DC, per sources.”

Zimmer had a second stint with the Cowboys, having been on the staff from 1994-2006 and serving as the defensive coordinator for the past seven years. In between, he led the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense for six years and was the Minnesota Vikings head coach for eight years.

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Matt Eberflus, who was let go by the Chicago Bears during the season, is now the frontrunner to become the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator.

Recently, many fans have expressed discontent with Schottenheimer’s hiring, including former players of the team. However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones feels differently and is excited about his choice to appoint Schottenheimer as head coach, according to Jordan Schultz.

“He’s someone in the league who is seen as someone who complies with Jerry Jones,” Schultz said on The Herd. “Mike McCarthy, I believe, Jerry Jones truly wanted him to stay, and he thought he would be able to keep him. Jerry fell behind in the process, didn’t reach out early to new coaches like Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn with the Lions, and he ended up way behind. As a result, not only does he not secure a top-tier head coach, but he also has no clear plan for the future. The Cowboys are without a plan, and this is what happens when you don’t prepare.”