Defensive coordinator's contract runs out after this season
02:17 AM CDT on Sunday, August 20, 2006
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
OXNARD, Calif. – Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has been around long enough to know that few things in the NFL are personal.
It's all business.
So when the club informed Zimmer this spring that it was going to let his contract, worth more than $1 million per season, expire at the end of this season, he handled the news professionally.
Zimmer, entering his 13th season with Dallas, was disappointed because the Cowboys are the only NFL team he's worked for. There's also fear of the unknown, even for a man with a reputation as one of the NFL's best defensive coaches.
But he was intrigued about the prospect of picking his employer and naming his price, considering the Cowboys should have one of the best defenses this season.
Besides, the team made it clear its decision had more to do with the uncertainty of Bill Parcells' future.
The Cowboys don't know if Parcells will coach beyond 2006, even though his contract goes through 2007. They wanted to make sure that a new coach would have the flexibility to determine who his coordinators were.
"I'm just trying to be focused enough to do what we have to do defensively, and at the end of the year we'll worry about that," said Zimmer, 50. "Sometimes I think about it, but I'm not going to bed worrying about it. People respect the job I've done. Hopefully, the players respect me. I love Dallas. I'd love to be here the rest of my career."
Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones acknowledged that the organization is taking a risk with Zimmer, who has been with the club since 1994, the last six seasons as defensive coordinator.
"That's the price you pay when you have a quality guy like Mike," Jones said. "We've had some quality players go out on the market, but it doesn't mean at the end of the day that Mike might not come back in the same capacity, just like we've had players re-sign with us."
Tough words
Normally, Zimmer stands 20 yards behind the safeties, wearing silver and black Oakley shades and a grubby navy blue Cowboys baseball cap, faded by the sun. A scowl seems always etched on his face.
He surveys his players, making sure their assignments have been properly carried out. When mistakes are made, expletives fly.
Those who heed the criticism and ignore the colorful language get on fine. Those who don't usually find employment elsewhere.
Last week, Zimmer complimented a rookie after a nice play.
"That's a good job," he said.
"That's the nicest thing you've said to me," the rookie replied.
"You're lucky you got that," Zimmer said with a chuckle.
Zimmer makes no apologies for being harsh with players. He's not interested in being their friend, only making them better players.
"You have to ask if any of them like me," he said. "[Linebacker] Bradie James, he didn't like me very much as a young player. I don't know if he likes me now, but he respects me. He knows I wanted to make him a better player."
James, who led the Cowboys with a career-high 109 tackles last season, said Zimmer constantly tested him. Once he passed, James knew he could be a quality player.
"With Zim, you can't help but get better because he's on you so hard when you mess up," James said. "He's so demanding that it forces you to respond."
Safety Keith Davis said it took time to adapt to Zimmer's methods. But Davis developed from an undrafted free agent to a 15-game starter last season. In the off-season, he signed a two-year deal worth more than $2 million.
"Zim is Zim, and you have to learn to listen to the important information he's giving you and try not to get caught up in all of that other stuff," Davis said. "I used to get frustrated with him all of the time because he's going to say some things you don't like, but he's only doing it to get the most out of you."
Zimmer is obsessed with details. It matters which hand a defensive end puts on the ground, whether a safety's toe is pointed the right way when he starts his pursuit angle, which arm a linebacker uses to deflect a pass.
"If you let them get away with stuff, then they're going to try to get away with something with the game on the line," Zimmer said. "That's why I'm so hard on them."
Getting the 3-4 down
The Cowboys' conversion to a 3-4 defense has been an adjustment for more than the players.
Zimmer handed Parcells a thick game plan for the first preseason game against Seattle.
Parcells scanned it before telling Zimmer to cut it in half. The preseason is about player development, not complex blitz packages.
"Conceptually, he understands the defense so much better than he did last year," Parcells said. "What I'm having to do now is keep his mind from racing because he's seeing the possibility of things."
It's easy to see the possibilities for a defense fortified by first-round picks Roy Williams (2002), Terence Newman (2003), Marcus Spears and DeMarcus Ware (2005) and Bobby Carpenter (2006). Jerry Jones has spent nearly $30 million in signing bonuses to add free-agent cornerbacks Anthony Henry and Aaron Glenn, nose tackle Jason Ferguson and linebacker Akin Ayodele.
"I like it a lot more now than the beginning of last year," Zimmer said of the 3-4 defense. "There were times I had to struggle through with it. When I had questions, I thought, how did we do it in the 4-3? and figured it out. Now, it's a little easier in my mind because I can visualize things."
Zimmer, who spent his entire career coaching the 4-3 defense, didn't like the 3-4 last season. Parcells ignored his discontent.
"I think it's just human nature," Parcells said. "He had been in a scheme that he liked, but I think good coaches can coach anything."
Zimmer has interviewed for two head coaching positions: with Nebraska in 2003 and earlier this year with the St. Louis Rams.
He turned down the Nebraska job when the Cowboys offered a three-year extension and a $500,000 raise. St. Louis chose offensive-minded Scott Linehan.
Before each interview, Zimmer consulted Parcells.
"There are more factors involved in getting a head coaching job now, particularly in the NFL," said Parcells, referring to an increase in headhunters and inexperienced team owners. "There are a few more politics involved in the jobs now than there should be."
Zimmer said he hopes there's a head-coaching job in his future.
"I'm ready," Zimmer said. "If it doesn't happen, then I'll continue to be a good defensive coordinator.
"But I'm ready."
By JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News
OXNARD, Calif. – Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has been around long enough to know that few things in the NFL are personal.
It's all business.
So when the club informed Zimmer this spring that it was going to let his contract, worth more than $1 million per season, expire at the end of this season, he handled the news professionally.
Zimmer, entering his 13th season with Dallas, was disappointed because the Cowboys are the only NFL team he's worked for. There's also fear of the unknown, even for a man with a reputation as one of the NFL's best defensive coaches.
But he was intrigued about the prospect of picking his employer and naming his price, considering the Cowboys should have one of the best defenses this season.
Besides, the team made it clear its decision had more to do with the uncertainty of Bill Parcells' future.
The Cowboys don't know if Parcells will coach beyond 2006, even though his contract goes through 2007. They wanted to make sure that a new coach would have the flexibility to determine who his coordinators were.
"I'm just trying to be focused enough to do what we have to do defensively, and at the end of the year we'll worry about that," said Zimmer, 50. "Sometimes I think about it, but I'm not going to bed worrying about it. People respect the job I've done. Hopefully, the players respect me. I love Dallas. I'd love to be here the rest of my career."
Cowboys vice president Stephen Jones acknowledged that the organization is taking a risk with Zimmer, who has been with the club since 1994, the last six seasons as defensive coordinator.
"That's the price you pay when you have a quality guy like Mike," Jones said. "We've had some quality players go out on the market, but it doesn't mean at the end of the day that Mike might not come back in the same capacity, just like we've had players re-sign with us."
Tough words
Normally, Zimmer stands 20 yards behind the safeties, wearing silver and black Oakley shades and a grubby navy blue Cowboys baseball cap, faded by the sun. A scowl seems always etched on his face.
He surveys his players, making sure their assignments have been properly carried out. When mistakes are made, expletives fly.
Those who heed the criticism and ignore the colorful language get on fine. Those who don't usually find employment elsewhere.
Last week, Zimmer complimented a rookie after a nice play.
"That's a good job," he said.
"That's the nicest thing you've said to me," the rookie replied.
"You're lucky you got that," Zimmer said with a chuckle.
Zimmer makes no apologies for being harsh with players. He's not interested in being their friend, only making them better players.
"You have to ask if any of them like me," he said. "[Linebacker] Bradie James, he didn't like me very much as a young player. I don't know if he likes me now, but he respects me. He knows I wanted to make him a better player."
James, who led the Cowboys with a career-high 109 tackles last season, said Zimmer constantly tested him. Once he passed, James knew he could be a quality player.
"With Zim, you can't help but get better because he's on you so hard when you mess up," James said. "He's so demanding that it forces you to respond."
Safety Keith Davis said it took time to adapt to Zimmer's methods. But Davis developed from an undrafted free agent to a 15-game starter last season. In the off-season, he signed a two-year deal worth more than $2 million.
"Zim is Zim, and you have to learn to listen to the important information he's giving you and try not to get caught up in all of that other stuff," Davis said. "I used to get frustrated with him all of the time because he's going to say some things you don't like, but he's only doing it to get the most out of you."
Zimmer is obsessed with details. It matters which hand a defensive end puts on the ground, whether a safety's toe is pointed the right way when he starts his pursuit angle, which arm a linebacker uses to deflect a pass.
"If you let them get away with stuff, then they're going to try to get away with something with the game on the line," Zimmer said. "That's why I'm so hard on them."
Getting the 3-4 down
The Cowboys' conversion to a 3-4 defense has been an adjustment for more than the players.
Zimmer handed Parcells a thick game plan for the first preseason game against Seattle.
Parcells scanned it before telling Zimmer to cut it in half. The preseason is about player development, not complex blitz packages.
"Conceptually, he understands the defense so much better than he did last year," Parcells said. "What I'm having to do now is keep his mind from racing because he's seeing the possibility of things."
It's easy to see the possibilities for a defense fortified by first-round picks Roy Williams (2002), Terence Newman (2003), Marcus Spears and DeMarcus Ware (2005) and Bobby Carpenter (2006). Jerry Jones has spent nearly $30 million in signing bonuses to add free-agent cornerbacks Anthony Henry and Aaron Glenn, nose tackle Jason Ferguson and linebacker Akin Ayodele.
"I like it a lot more now than the beginning of last year," Zimmer said of the 3-4 defense. "There were times I had to struggle through with it. When I had questions, I thought, how did we do it in the 4-3? and figured it out. Now, it's a little easier in my mind because I can visualize things."
Zimmer, who spent his entire career coaching the 4-3 defense, didn't like the 3-4 last season. Parcells ignored his discontent.
"I think it's just human nature," Parcells said. "He had been in a scheme that he liked, but I think good coaches can coach anything."
Zimmer has interviewed for two head coaching positions: with Nebraska in 2003 and earlier this year with the St. Louis Rams.
He turned down the Nebraska job when the Cowboys offered a three-year extension and a $500,000 raise. St. Louis chose offensive-minded Scott Linehan.
Before each interview, Zimmer consulted Parcells.
"There are more factors involved in getting a head coaching job now, particularly in the NFL," said Parcells, referring to an increase in headhunters and inexperienced team owners. "There are a few more politics involved in the jobs now than there should be."
Zimmer said he hopes there's a head-coaching job in his future.
"I'm ready," Zimmer said. "If it doesn't happen, then I'll continue to be a good defensive coordinator.
"But I'm ready."
posted by The Gryphon at 11:16 AM
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