Mike Zimmer coming back to home, Dallas Cowboys to hire former Vikings coach as DC

Mike Zimmer is reportedly coming home.

According to NFL Network, the Dallas Cowboys are hiring Zimmer, the former Minnesota Vikings head coach, who spent 13 years with the Cowboys to start his NFL coaching career, as the team’s new defensive coordinator.

A Cowboys source said no deal has been reached. But talks are on going.

But Thursday at NFL Honors, owner Jerry Jones said that he’s been speaking to his “future” defensive coach and plans to have a deal finalized with Zimmer.

Zimmer was among five candidates interviewed to replace Dan Quinn, who became the Washington Commanders.

The others included former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan, Cowboys defensive line coach Aden Durde and New York Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel.

Zimmer served as the Vikings head coach from 2014-2021 and has been out of coaching the past two seasons.

But he has long been known for strong defenses.

The 67-year old, who started out as an assistant in Dallas in 1994, was the Cowboys defensive coordinator for seven seasons.

His final year was in 2006, the final year for head coach Bill Parcells.

He pent the 2007 season coordinating Atlanta Falcons defense and served as the Cincinnati Bengals’ coordinator from 2008-2013 before taking over as Vikings head coach.

Zimmer was fired with a 72-56-1 career record in Minnesota.

He spent five of those years coaching against Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy, when he was the Green Bay Packers head coach.

Now he is back where it all a began in a homecoming with the Cowboys in what is a make-or-break season for McCarthy in the final season of his contract.