Mike Zimmer won't return to Cowboys, will likely retire

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.

This was Zimmer's second stint with the Cowboys. He was on the staff from 1994-2006 and was the defensive coordinator for the last seven years. He went on to run the defense in Cincinnati for six years and then spent eight years as the head coach of the Vikings.

A report this week indicated that former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is a prime candidate to be the next defensive coordinator in Dallas.