Mike Zimmer, who spent last season as the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator, said he will not be returning to the team on new head coach Brian Schottenheimer's staff and likely will retire from coaching in the NFL,

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.

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer confirmed that he wouldn't be returning to the team in 2025 and will likely retire from coaching in the

When the Cowboys elected to part ways with former head coach Mike McCarthy earlier this month, the writing was on

Former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer is likely to retire from coaching in the NFL, according to veteran reporter Ed Werder. Zimmer spent last season as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator under Mike McCarthy but is not returning to Dallas on new head coach Brian Schottenheimer's staff.

"The truth,'' Mike Zimmer tells us with a laugh, "is that I've wanted to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for 25 years.''

If he really does decide to retire, it will be the end of a great coaching career. Zimmer started as a defensive assistant with Missouri in 1979. He coached at Weber State and Was

Schottenheimer and the Cowboys have named Dave Borgonzi, Aaron Whitecotton and Andre Curtis to the staff, the team announced Wednesday. All three are defensive hires. And all three new additions were greatly influenced by new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus . Schottenheimer, though, had final say on the hires as head coach.

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer will not have Mike Zimmer running the defense for him in 2025. Zimmer told Ed Werder of ESPN that he will not be returning to Dallas for a second season. Zimmer said that he will likely retire from coaching.