The Dallas Cowboys have concluded their search for a new defensive coordinator and are bringing back a familiar face. All-in was the phrase Jerry Jones used to describe their approach to the offseason, but it’s questionable whether he intended to be replacing his DC in a season when the head coach, Mike McCarthy, didn’t have much job security. With Dan Quinn departing to lead the way for the rival Washington Commander, Jones and company set out to replace him atop the defensive totem.
That decision landed Mike Zimmer a new job. Out of football for the last two seasons, Zimmer brings a wealth of experience to the table. This will be his third head coach he’s coordinated for in Dallas alone, on the heels of extensive time as the head coach in Minnesota, where he squared off against McCarthy for years.
Twitter, or X if you’re so inclined, had a lot to say about the pursuit and the hire. There’s a wide gamut of reactions to bringing Zimmer in. Some don’t think Dallas’ hiring pool was deep enough, and there are various thought processes as to why the search mostly focused on former head coaches who have been in the league for a long time.
Others believe Zimmer brings a tenacity to Dallas that had been mising and still others chimed in with statistical evidence as to what they expect as the Cowboys look to turn the page from Quinn’s defense that was strong overall, but still had obvious weaknesses when it mattered most.
Here’s a collection of tweets discussing the hiring of Zimmer.