New Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer looking for respect over love while ‘on the cusp’ of Super Bowl

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys defense loved playing for former defensive coordinator and new Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn. 

Literally. Three-time All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons described some of his conversations with Quinn as having a similar dynamic to those had between a father and son. 

“That’s like my OG, for real,” Parsons said of Quinn back on January 11. “He means a lot to me, not only because it’s just about football….It doesn’t always have to be hard-nosed, ‘I’m the coach.’ It’s more of a friendship. We go through what I don’t like, what I do like. He doesn’t just treat me like a player, he treats me like a friend. He’s always there when I need him and we’re not afraid to have those hard conversations whether it’s father to son or player to coach. We have them no matter what.”  

The results bore that out. Last season, the Cowboys allowed 18.5 points per game and 299.7 total yards per game, which were both fifth-best in the NFL. The club also had 26 total takeaways. Dallas led the league in quarterback pressure rate (41.4%),  interceptions (59), takeaways (93) and defensive touchdowns (15)  under Quinn from 2021-2023 rank as the most in the NFL. 

With Quinn now in Washington, the Cowboys officially introduced new defensive play caller Mike Zimmer as their defensive coordinator on Wednesday, opening the door for strong juxtaposition of personalities between Zimmer and his predecessor. He had an inside track for the vacancy as his hiring allows the 67-year-old to return where his NFL coaching career began. His first NFL shot came back in 1994, and remained in Dallas through the 2006 season. He started out as a general assistant coach before spending five seasons as their defensive backs coach from 1995-1999. The final seven seasons of Zimmer’s tenure with the Cowboys (2000-2006) came in his once again current role as the defensive…


Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/new-cowboys-defensive-coordinator-mike-zimmer-looking-for-respect-over-love-while-on-the-cusp-of-super-bowl/

Author : Garrett Podell

Publish date : 2024-02-15 02:43:41

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