Tag: Mike Zimmer

Alternate Reality: Cowboys could’ve been led by Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer as opposed to current path

If the Cowboys played things differently, they could have had their all-star coaching staff. | From @ReidDHanson

Everyone remembers the one that got away.

From the girl next door to the job offer with the bad timing, hindsight can be cruel as much as it can be educational. For the Dallas Cowboys, Sean Peyton is often seen as the head coach that got away. Once a Cowboys offensive coordinator under Bill Parcells, Payton was seen as the next great coach in Cowboys lore. As luck would have it, Parcells stayed on one year too long and Payton jumped ship one year too early, essentially killing the dream.

Looking at the current situation in Dallas, it’s difficult not to think about what could have been once again. Over the past 13 months the Cowboys had a few desirable coaches on their staff and if they would have played things differently, they could have had considerably different setup today.

After losing to Green Bay in the playoffs in the most embarrassing way possible one year ago, many believed McCarthy was a lock to get fired. The team was ill-prepared, unfocused and unmotivated. It was an indictment on a head coach that throughout his time in Dallas couldn’t win a postseason game against a team with a winning record.

If the Cowboys would have fired McCarthy after that Packers loss, Dallas probably could have had Dan Quinn as their head coach in 2024. Not only that, dumping McCarthy would have unchained Brian Schottenheimer as the offensive coordinator. McCarthy never let Schottenheimer call plays during their time together and it was generally viewed as McCarthy’s offense through and through.

Instead, the Cowboys stuck with McCarthy one more season, opening the door to Quinn’s departure and empowering the NFC East rival Commanders to complete one of the NFL’s biggest franchise turnarounds.

There is an alternate reality in 2025 as well. Let’s say the Cowboys stuck with McCarthy and 2024 unfolded just as it did. But instead of elevating Schottenheimer to head coach, the Cowboys elevated Mike Zimmer instead.

Zimmer was making headway on the Dallas defense in his one year as defensive coordinator. He survived a litany of injuries and instilled discipline in a notoriously undisciplined unit. It stands to reason with a healthy roster and a couple new pieces, the Cowboys defense could bounce back to elite ranks in no time.

Much like the Quinn example a year prior, elevating the defensive coordinator to head coach wouldn’t necessarily run Schottenheimer out of town. Schottenheimer wanted to call plays and by most accounts wasn’t a high demand coaching prospect this winter. It stands to reason simply offering him control of the offense would be enough to keep him on board for the foreseeable future.

In this scenario the Cowboys could have elevated fan favorite Al Harris to take over as Zimmer’s defensive coordinator or even brought in the current coordinator Matt Eberflus. It would still be Zimmer’s defense but would add additional coaching talent to franchise.

In both scenarios Schottenheimer is running the offense it’s just the defense that’s in different hands. Theoretically the Cowboys could have had their cake and eaten it too.

Maybe all things worked out for the best.

Quinn got his chance to pull a franchise up from the dirt and the Cowboys dodged a coach whose postseason ended in another defensive meltdown.

Zimmer wasn’t the most daring head coach in Minnesota so maybe he wouldn’t be a great option for the Cowboys. Based on possible gained win percentage, his fourth-down decision making finished in the middle of the pack (one spot worse than the Cowboys from 2014-2021) and he might have put Schottenheimer under his thumb as so many of Schottenheimer’s coaches had done in the past.

It’s impossible to know how things would have turned out but it’s interesting to look back and envision how things could have been.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer won’t coach in 2025, likely to retire

Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer won’t return to the Dallas Cowboys in 2025.

On Friday, the Dallas Cowboys announced they would hire Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach. Schottenheimer spent the past two seasons as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator, meaning they must fill the position.

Dallas will need to find a new defensive coordinator for 2025, too. Mike Zimmer told Ed Werder that he would not return to the Cowboys and would likely retire.

 

After taking two years off after being fired by the Minnesota Vikings following the 2021 season, Zimmer took over the Cowboys’ defense in 2024. The Cowboys defense struggled all season, yielding the second-most points in the league and ranking 28th in yards allowed.

Long regarded as one of the league’s premier defensive minds, Zimmer didn’t have as much success at the end of his career. The Vikings ranked 27th in yards allowed in 2020 and 30th in 2021.

But this shouldn’t erase what he did for most of his career. Zimmer entered the NFL with the Cowboys in 1994 and spent 13 years there. After a brief stint in Atlanta and a successful run in Cincinnati, the Vikings hired Zimmer as head coach in 2014. He turned Minnesota’s defense around overnight, improving them from the 31st-ranked unit in 2013 to the 14th-ranked unit in 2014.

The defense improved over his first four seasons, culminating in 2017 when the Vikings finished 13-3 and had the league’s top-ranked defense. Zimmer got his first playoff win against the New Orleans Saints in the “Minneapolis Miracle,” one of the best games in playoff history.

Zimmer finished his eight-year stint as the Vikings’ head coach with a 72-56-1 regular-season record and a 2-3 postseason record. His .562 regular-season winning percentage is the fourth-highest mark in team history.

Popular former Bengals coach sounds set to retire

A fan favorite Bengals coach could be stepping away from the game after changes in Dallas.

The Cincinnati Bengals have found a new defensive coordinator with Al Golden, while elsewhere in the NFL, another coach who held that the position appears ready to step away from the game for good.

After a coaching overhaul with the Dallas Cowboys, it sounds like Mike Zimmer is on his way to retirement.

Ed Werder wrote the following on social media: “Mike Zimmer tells me that he will not be returning to the Cowboys as a member of Brian Schottenheimer’s coaching staff and will likely retire from coaching in the NFL.”

RELATED: Bengals’ key free agent changes reps before trip to market

Zimmer, 68, was worth wondering about for the Bengals after Zac Taylor fired Lou Anarumo. Not necessarily to take over as a coordinator but perhaps as an advisor, considering his history with the team and ties to the greater Cincinnati area.

Perhaps something like that still comes to fruition over a long offseason. Otherwise, Zimmer served as coordinator under Marvin Lewis from 2008-2013 and perhaps just ended an illustrious NFL coaching career that started in the pros back in 1994.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Cowboys next DC must have this one trait or nothing else will matter

The Cowboys need a DC who can pick up where Mike Zimmer left off, says @ReidDHanson

The Dallas Cowboys are completely unsettled in their coaching ranks. Presumably conducting due diligence at the head coaching position, the Cowboys want to figure out who is the top of the pecking order before they can settle in at the coordinator positions.

But it’s never too soon to identify desirable the key traits the Cowboys defense needs. Whoever takes over on the defensive side will be Dallas’ third coordinator in as many years. The Cowboys’ defense has been a mixture of dysfunction and turmoil as of late, and finding the right kind of coach is critical to their ability to turn things around.

In Dan Quinn’s last season in Dallas, they routinely fell apart against their better opponents, culminating in a postseason implosion against Green Bay. Mike Zimmer replaced Quinn, and his first year started disastrously, with the Cowboys ranking as one of the worst defenses in the NFL. They eventually rebounded when the schedule softened, but still struggled in multiple areas, particularly defending against the run.

The most optimistic takeaway from the 2024 season is that players stepped up their discipline. With less freelancing and more gap discipline, the Cowboys started looking like a real defense that could play sound football. They lacked team health and in overall talent, but they showed signs of improvement which is reason for optimism.

All of that improvement could hit a snag with the expected departure of Zimmer. Zimmer’s no-nonsense demeanor brought accountability to the defense. It’s something the next leader of the Cowboys defense needs to possess in order to keep things moving in the right direction.

If the Cowboys want to compete against the best and give their team a chance to compete in the postseason in the coming years, they need to bring in a disciplinarian who can pick up where Zimmer left off. Scheme, personnel preferences and alignments almost take a backseat to this. Discipline and accountability are what this defense needs so they can develop the right way, and with any luck, be trustworthy when things matter most.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Should Bengals consider surprisingly available name for DC job?

An old friend of the Bengals and fans is back on the open market.

The Cincinnati Bengals have been working through multiple different interviews to fill their vacant defensive coordinator position.

Zac Taylor and the Bengals have also been linked to one major name, while another report of a controversial name got shot down.

One name that hasn’t come up — at least not yet — is an old friend.

Mike Zimmer, the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati from 2008-2013 under head coach Marvin Lewis, was just let go alongside the entire coaching staff in Dallas.

While Zimmer is now 68 years old and apparently considering retirement in the wake of the news around the chaotic Cowboys, one has to wonder if Taylor and the Bengals might put out feelers — just in case.

Zimmer, after all, was beloved during his time in Cincinnati. His tenure as a head coach in Minnesota from 2014-2021 isn’t necessarily a reflection on his abilities as a coordinator, and his previous rapport with Duke Tobin and the front office might be something that can help the staff and scouting departments better align on visions for the roster.

If nothing else, the Bengals should probably be doing preliminary due diligence on this topic.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1]

Report: Cowboys’ Mike Zimmer says ‘all options are open’ for next move

From @ToddBrock24f7: Head coach in Dallas? Staying on as DC for the new guy? Switching teams? Retirement? The 68-year-old could be key to the Cowboys’ decisions.

Twenty-four hours after announcing a parting of the ways with head coach Mike McCarthy, the Cowboys front office has a very big decision to make in the very near future.

So, too, it seems, does Mike Zimmer.

The 68-year-old who returned to Dallas eleven months ago for a second stint as the team’s defensive coordinator, saw his contract expire along with McCarthy’s this week. And while the rollercoaster of a season saw Zimmer and his unit go through some serious up and downs, he says he’s not sure what’s waiting for him around this latest curve.

According to a Tuesday report from NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, Zimmer says that “all options are open.”

And with someone of Zimmer’s breadth of experience, that really does cover a gamut of possibilities.

Zimmer, of course, has been a head coach before, leading the Vikings for eight seasons from 2014 through 2021 and taking the team to the playoffs three times. That tenure, combined with his 13 years (1994-2006) spent on the Dallas staff the first time around- and not to mention his familiarity with how Jerry Jones runs the organization- would seem to make him a leading candidate to take the reins now.

It could even be argued that the Joneses viewed Zimmer as a potential succession-plan hire when they brought him back to Dallas last February, having already revealed then they would not extend McCarthy’s deal past the lame-duck 2024 campaign.

“I really enjoy coaching,” Zimmer reportedly told Pelissero… but that doesn’t have to mean as the head coach. After all, being a coordinator allows the jobholder to keep his head down and lock in on his side of the ball, bury himself in the Xs and Os, focus on teaching technique and finer points.

It’s entirely possible that Zimmer has no interest in doing the daily press conferences and sit-down media appearances that come part and parcel with a head coaching job… and then there’s the white-hot spotlight that’s thrown in as a bonus when you’re head coach of the most visible sports franchise on earth.

Zimmer’s Dallas defense started the season rough, perhaps taking longer than expected to come around to his vision and preferred style of play. Overall, they finished the year ranked 31st in points allowed per game, 29th in yards allowed per play, 24th in opponents’ third-down conversion rate, 28th in opponents’ fourth-down conversion rate, and a league-worst 32nd in opponents’ red-zone conversion rate.

But for all of those wholly awful numbers, there were encouraging signs as the season went on. And it must be noted that the Dallas defense was hit hard with injuries, to some of the unit’s top players and at key positions. Zimmer was implementing his brand-new schemes with a significant handicap.

How well would he be able to pick where he left off under a new head coach content to leave him in place? It’s not hard to envision the Joneses working to keep Zimmer on staff as DC to help balance out a younger, more inexperienced offensive-minded head coach.

Like, say, Kellen Moore? Remember that’s exactly what they did with Moore himself as offensive coordinator when they hired McCarthy. And although that arranged marriage didn’t end well, Moore theoretically wouldn’t be looking over his shoulder at a coordinator who’s gunning for his job, nor would he be itching to run that coordinator’s unit for him. Maybe a Moore-Zimmer union gives both men exactly they want (though it likely leaves popular defensive backs coach/assistant head coach Al Harris feeling passed over).

Or Deion Sanders? Though it seems unlikely for a number of reasons, Sanders’s name has popped up and an informal conversation has apparently already taken place between Jones and Sanders. Don’t forget, too, that Sanders and Zimmer are close, with the latter serving as an analyst-slash-consultant of sorts to Coach Prime at both Jackson State and Colorado. An official partnership in Dallas would likely be a very easy sell to both men if all the other details (and there are many) of a Sanders hire were to somehow be resolved.

Or Jason Witten? Again, there are myriad reasons why the former tight end is a very dark horse to suddenly be handed the throne in Dallas, but the rumor is out there. If Jones were to push to bring his prodigal tight end back home in the top spot, giving him an established defensive coordinator who also has head coach experience in his back pocket to share would be a real plus. And Zimmer was on staff for Witten’s first four years with the Cowboys; it’s not like they’re total strangers.

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

Of course, Zimmer could get invitations to interview with other clubs, too. His one year back in Dallas may have been enough to remind the league that his defenses tend to ring up sacks (the Cowboys ranked third in 2024), apply QB pressure at a high rate (No. 1), and log takeaways (12th).

Then again, maybe Zimmer decided he’s had enough of the NFL circus entirely. He is reportedly considering just retiring from football. He’s spoken candidly about how long the season was and how his return to the grind may have been more difficult than he anticipated. Plus, he did just get engaged shortly after the first of the year; maybe gameplanning for the likes of Jayden Daniels and Jalen Hurts just doesn’t hold the same appeal.

As Zimmer himself said, all options are open.

But the clock is already ticking- for everyone involved- on choosing one of them.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Un-complicate It: Cowboys would be wise to find way to retain coach Al Harris

The Cowboys have a difficult task in keeping their valuable assistant coach, Al Harris

The Dallas Cowboys coaching staff is stuck in a state of limbo right now. All ranks of the staff worked on expiring deals in 2024, and all ranks will be free and clear to negotiate with other teams once the Cowboys’ exclusive negotiating window expires on January 14.

At the head coach position, Dallas has sent mixed signals for weeks now. One moment they’re said to be negotiating, the next moment it seems they’re purposely deadlocked just waiting for the situation to organically resolve itself. Regardless of how the situation at the top shakes out, one thing is clear, Al Harris deserves a look as a defensive coordinator.

Harris, a Cowboys assistant coach since 2020, is a rising star in the NFL. The former Pro Bowl cornerback made his coaching breakthrough 13 years ago as an intern with the Dolphins. Since then, he’s served as an assistant with the Chiefs, Florida Atlantic in CFB, and the Cowboys. Working under Dan Quinn and Mike Zimmer in Dallas, Harris has thrived under different schemes and coaching styles. He’s produced two All-Pro CBs with the Cowboys and risen to the rank of assistant head coach.

It’s safe to say when the negotiating window expires on Tuesday, Harris will be one of the Cowboys’ most sought-after coaches. His ability to communicate, develop and motivate make him a legitimate defensive coordinator candidate in 2025, a position the Cowboys would likely need to offer the 50-year-old secondary specialist if they want to keep him in Dallas.

Complicating matters is the unresolved situation at head coach. Any head coaching candidate worth his salt is going to want to build his own staff. Forcing him to take on Harris at defensive coordinator would be a tough pill to swallow even if that head coach held Harris in high regard. Locking down a coordinator before a coach isn’t unheard of for Jerry Jones (see the arranged marriage of Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy) but it is potentially problematic (also the arranged marriage of Kellen Moore and Mike McCarthy).

Ideally the Cowboys make a head coaching decision before their negotiating window closes, because the moment that window expires, Harris’ phone is going to ring and probably ring a lot. Up and coming coaches carry risk but they also bring reward. As a first-time coordinator Harris would likely come at an affordable price and his knowledge of the Cowboys roster and team culture should make him a particularly attractive option for the Dallas front office.

Like Harris, Zimmer has also earned a chance to return in 2025. Zimmer started to make headway in Dallas’ longstanding discipline and accountability department and appears to be on the cusp of building something special. But unlike Harris, Zimmer is nearing the end of his coaching career and has indicated he may not want to return to the sideline in 2025.

What the Cowboys cannot afford to do is allow their rising star coach to leave without expressing their interest in retaining him in some capacity. The NFL is a talent acquisition business and that extends beyond just simple roster building but also in the coaching ranks.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Mike Zimmer suggested he may not want to return to Cowboys in 2025

Mike Zimmer isn’t sure if he even wants to coach in 2025, let alone return to Cowboys

Mike Zimmer was dealt a tough hand this season in Dallas. Not only did the new defensive coordinator only get offered a one-year deal to replace Dan Quinn as the Cowboys defensive coordinator, but he had a relatively undisciplined and undermanned roster to work with. Old habits die hard, and Zimmer had a lot of old habits he needed to break on the Cowboys defense.

For as brilliant as his predecessor was, Quinn’s teams were consistently undisciplined in certain aspects of the game. Run fits in particular were an issue with Dallas defenses of the past. On numerous occasions players were seen freelancing and misreading plays on the field. It often created a snowball effect that resulted in landslide collapses. See also: Green Bay in the previous postseason.

The Cowboys defense took on a fast and loose persona under Quinn, and most of the time, it worked to perfection. Unfortunately, when things went poorly, they went very poorly, and Zimmer was largely brought in to stop those bipolar moments.

Things got off to a rocky start under Zimmer. Not only did the Cowboys fall to the bottom of the NFL in defensive ranking but they stopped producing those turnovers they’d been notorious for under Quinn. While much of that could be chalked up to a new system and significant injuries, the responsibility still fell on Zimmer, and he certainly felt that weight.

“I’ve had fun,” Zimmer said to The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “…But it’s been hard. I’m not going to lie about that. It’s been hard.”

Going from the penthouse to the outhouse was not the fall from grace Cowboys fans expected under Zimmer, and for a while he looked like he’d be one-and-done as coordinator of the Cowboys. Then a funny thing started happening. The Cowboys defense, injuries and all, started to improve. Players started staying true to their assignments, run fits were getting filled and mental mistakes began to dissipate.

Suddenly a future with Zimmer running the defense didn’t sound so crazy. After ranking 30th in overall defense through the first 11 weeks of the season, the Dallas defense has bounced up to seventh overall in the weeks following. It’s nothing short of amazing getting this defense up into top 10 status and to think he’s done so with three of the biggest stars, Trevon Diggs, DeMarvion Overshown and DeMarcus Lawrence, out for the year.

It’s safe to say Zimmer has earned the right to be in the conversation going forward. If Zimmer could accomplish all this in 2024 under these terrible circumstances, imagine what he could accomplish next year with his system fully installed, his roster finally healthy, and his needs somewhat addressed?

But now it seems the script has been flipped because Zimmer has suggested he may not want to return at all. When asked about coaching next season Zimmer expressed a rather unresolved mindset on the matter.

“We’ll see,” Zimmer said. “Let’s wait and until the end of the year and see where we’re at.”

At 68-years-old, Zimmer is past the average age of retirement in the US, so it’s perfectly possible the veteran coach decides the grind isn’t worth it and he’s ready to ride off into the sunset.

It’s no longer just about if Dallas wants Zimmer, but also about if Zimmer wants Dallas.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Could Mike Zimmer return to Cowboys in 2025, even if McCarthy doesn’t?

Mike Zimmer’s contract won’t expire until a long after a new head coach is hired. Which opens up a potentially interesting possibility. | From @KDDrummondNFL

One of the more interesting aspects of the 2024 debacle was the fallout of losing Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator. Quinn had been sought after since pretty much the moment he was hired in Dallas as his impact on the Cowboys‘ defense was quick and obvious. Thanks to the addition of first-round phenom Micah Parsons, Quinn’s approach was run by top-tier young talent, which highlighted his approach and ability to direct.

Quinn both passed up on and was passed over for several vacancies he interviewed for across 2022 and 2023, but with things looking ready to implode in Dallas he finally moved on, joining Washington. The problem was, the Mike McCarthy coaching staff he left behind had seemingly worn out their lifelines and were only signed for 2024. That, among several other factors, led to the hiring of Mike Zimmer to a one-year deal to take over the defense.

It’s been long assumed that Zimmer’s fate would be part and parcel with McCarthy’s. If the Cowboys met the edict and advanced to an acceptable postseason point, the staff as a whole would see new contracts, including Zimmer.

With the way the season started, t was pretty clear the main cogs in the coaching staff would all be clearing out their offices. Dallas was horrible on both offense and defense, the team looked disinterested and seemed to be playing out the string by October.

But a funny thing has happened since that point. While lip service is being paid to the possibility McCarthy could get a new deal, that likely isn’t happening. But Zimmer on the other hand, that’s becoming more intriguing week by week.

Those in the know wondered allowed how likely it would be for the defensive roster to catch what Zimmer was pitching. His coverage plan is known to be complicated and it normally takes a year before dividends are fully realized.

But the way the Dallas defense has caught on in the last half of 2024 should open up the possibility Zimmer returning is a consideration for the next head coach.

This becomes even more enticing when thinking about adding one of the young offensive coordinator hot shots most fans would like to see succeed McCarthy.

Going from coordinator to head coach is a big step up in responsibility, and normally those types of hires are paired with former head coaches whose specialty is on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage.

It allows that head coach as close to autonomy as possible and lessens the burden on the young coach to focus on one side of the ball and have a sounding board to help guide them on the administrative side of being head coach.

If the Dallas defense closes out these final three games in strong fashion, Zimmer would be the perfect candidate for that type of role. He spent eight seasons at the helm in Minnesota.

At 69 years old by the start of next season, Zimmer probably isn’t going to be a consideration for a head coaching gig again, and he can spend his last few years in the league coaching in a city that’s home to him.

There of course should be a fit with whomever gets the head coaching gig. If it is a young gun such as Joe Brady, Ben Johnson, Ben Slowik or several other possibilities, they need to mesh well with whomever will be in charge of their defense.

Just kidding, this is Jerry Jones’ team. He would have zero problem forcing Zimmer on a head coach if he deemed that the way to go. The young coaches should be hot commodities though, with options, although Dallas is likely to be the most attractive roster destination this offseason.

Mike Zimmer proving his worth in Cowboys pseudo “prove-it” season

Mike Zimmer is proving himself this season and it could offer opportunities in 2025

Signed to a one-year deal over the offseason, 2024 has been a prove-it season of sorts for Mike Zimmer. With a lifetime of experience and plenty of skins on the wall in Dallas, Zimmer didn’t need to prove his value to the Cowboys organization, he had to prove his value to the current roster and to whomever takes the head coaching reins in 2025.

Since Mike McCarthy was entering the last year on his deal this season it’s understandable the Cowboys wanted the other coaching contracts to synch up. Not many coaches would except a one-year offer since schemes, personnel, and strategies take time to implement. But Zimmer did and he likely did so with an eye on something else down the road.

He’s really proving he can work with the Cowboys’ main pieces they have on defense. He’s proving he can effectively follow a player-friendly coach like Dan Quinn. He’s proving he has a good thing going if and when a new head coach comes in over the offseason. Based on Jerry Jones’ familiarity, he may even be proving he’s a candidate for head coach.

Whatever he happens to be trying to prove this season, he appears to finally be getting some traction. The Cowboys defense started the season horrifically. The defense’s talent, discipline and depth were exposed. Through the first 11 weeks of the season, Zimmer’s defense ranked 30th in EPA allowed and dead last in run defense.

Zimmer’s defense was always supposed to take time to implement, and growing pains were expected, but not to the degree that unfolded. The injuries and front office malfeasance provided cover, but if 2024 was an audition, Zimmer looked like a one-and-done coach early on.

Then things started to click. As the schedule softened and the running game on offense started to pick up, the defense hit its stride. Over the last four games the Dallas defense has shockingly played like a top five unit (based on EPA/play). With Micah Parsons back in the fold, the Dallas pass rush has led the league in sacks and pressures. They’ve done so with smart play design and well-timed blitzing.

Every layer of the defense has suffered significant injuries, yet Zimmer’s group is getting better by the week. For the first time in years discipline and accountability appear to be a thing on defense and it’s beginning to produce results, even if the talent is less than ideal.

Zimmer deserves to be in the conversation for 2025. That’s a statement that would have been laughed at just one month ago. It’s a statement that speaks to what a coach with a fairly complicated playbook has accomplished with a revolving door of players and undeniable roster holes to overcome.

It doesn’t demand his return in 2025 or warrant a promotion, but it keeps him in the conversation. Whoever takes over next season will see a pretty compelling case to keep the veteran coach around.

Related articles

[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]