Mike Zimmer Says “All Options Are Open” For Future

Cowboys DC Mike Zimmer told Tom Pelissero that “all options are open” for his future now that his contract with Dallas has expired. 

That includes potentially retiring as ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported this week. Zimmer added to Pelissero that he really enjoys coaching football, so he could look to land with another team if there’s interest. 

As of today, there are no restrictions on Zimmer’s ability to interview with teams and there are several organizations looking for new defensive coordinators. 

Zimmer, 68, began his NFL coaching career with the Cowboys back in 1994 as their DBs coach. He worked his way up to defensive coordinator and had stints with the Falcons and Bengals before the Vikings hired him as their head coach in 2014.

Minnesota signed Zimmer to a three-year extension as he entered a “lame duck” season in the final year of his contract in 2020. He was fired after the 2021 season. 

Zimmer worked as a consultant with Deion Sanders at Jackson State and Colorado before returning to the NFL as the Cowboys DC in 2024. 

During his eight years as Vikings head coach, Zimmer led the team to a record of 72-56-1 (56.2 percent), which includes three playoff appearances and one trip to the NFC Championship game in 2017.