NFL Network says Mike Zimmer has studied analytics ahead of Cowboys opportunity

Mike Zimmer isn’t entering his new position empty-handed. On Friday, the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero revealed the newly-hired Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator has been studying the team for a while now.

“He’s been studying tape of a variety of schemes around the NFL. He’s been studying analytics. He has been preparing for this opportunity at age 67 to get back into the NFL,” Pelissero said. “From Zimmer’s perspective, the only way he was going to be willing to come back as a defensive coordinator, not a head coach, where he’s the third-winningest coach in Vikings history, was if it was with somebody he trusted.

“[Cowboys head coach] Mike McCarthy and Mike Zimmer went up against each other for years in the NFC North. They know each other. Mike McCarthy certainly wanted somebody who has experience calling plays. He gets that now in a guy like Mike Zimmer, who takes over a talented Dallas defense.”

Zimmer will replace Dan Quinn, who will be the Washington Commanders’ head coach next season. Zimmer was a headline name interviewing for the position, along with former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera.

This isn’t Zimmer’s first rodeo with the Cowboys. Zimmer spent 12 seasons with the organization, six of which were as a defensive coordinator. Under Zimmer, The 2003 Dallas Cowboys’ defense gave up the fewest yards in the NFL.

While at Dallas, Zimmer coached some of the most notable players in the franchise’s storied history, including Darren Woodson, Dexter Coakley, Dat Nguyen, Roy Williams, Greg Ellis, La’Roi Glover and Hall of Famers such as DeMarcus Ware and Deion Sanders.

Most notably, Zimmer was the head coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2014-21. Zimmer finished his tenure in Minnesota with a 72-56 record. He boasted three seasons with 10 or more wins. However, no campaign was better than in 2017 when the Vikings went 13-3 and reached the NFC Championship.

Since the Vikings fired Zimmer on January 10, 2022, he has not coached. Zimmer will inherit an impressive Cowboys defense, which only allowed 299.7 opponent yards per game last season, the fifth-least in the league.

With standouts such as Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence along with two record-setting cornerbacks in Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland, Zimmer will have no shortage of weapons at his disposal in the 2024 campaign.

McCarthy will need Zimmer to be at his best. Under McCarthy, Dallas has tallied three straight 12-win seasons. Nonetheless, the Cowboys have failed to reach the NFC Championship in that span. Now, with Zimmer by his side, McCarthy will look to reach new heights.