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.

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,

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.''

Brian Schottenheimer has made a high-profile addition to his Cowboys staff, bringing in ex-Bears head coach Matt Eberflus to be the team's new DC.

In addition to Eberflus, the Cowboys hired former San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen as special teams coordinator, replacing John Fassel, who joined the Tennessee Titans after his contract expired. Sorensen previously worked with Schottenheimer in Seattle and Jacksonville.

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.

Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, New York Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka, Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Arizona ...

If the Cowboys played things differently, they could have had their all-star coaching staff. | From @ReidDHanson

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.