There are suddenly a lot of names being thrown around for the Dallas Cowboys' head coaching job. The team has set interviews with ex-Jets head coach Robert Saleh, Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier and Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
While an interview with Deion Sanders has not been confirmed, the Sanders-Cowboys buzz has gotten louder with each passing day it seems.
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We learned on Thursday that Sanders would take the job if Jerry Jones offered it to him. That seemingly dispels the theory that Deion is using his former team as leverage to get a richer contract from Colorado, with whom he's eligible for an extension.
The process only just started so it's hard to identify a favorite. However, the tea leaves tell us Moore and Sanders are the early frontrunners.
Cowboys fans are split on whom they want to get the job, but most want Mike Zimmer back as defensive coordinator regardless of who is hired. However, the latest buzz on Zimmer could throw a wrench into that fantasy.
Latest Mike Zimmer rumor could shake up Cowboys' head coaching search
Former Cowboys scout and writer Bryan Broaddus revealed Thursday that Zimmer would take the head coaching job if it was offered.
"I talked to Mike Zimmer myself and I said 'Hey what's your situation?', and he said 'If they offer me the head coaching job I'll take it," Broaddus said. "He's not sure about the defensive coordinator job, but he'd take the head coaching job."
Well, that could certainly throw a wrench into Dallas' search.
Despite already being in-house and having a long working relationship with Jerry Jones, there hasn't been a peep about Zimmer being in the mix for the HC job. That Zimmer is contemplating retiring from coaching may have something to do with that. At 68 years old, it is easy to understand why Zimmer would take the head coaching job and is reluctant about running it back as the defensive coordinator.
We know Jones overvalues coaches who have experience. Well, most of Zimmer's coaching experience in the NFL has been with Dallas. He was part of the franchise's last Super Bowl victory in 1995 as a defensive assistant. He was with the team from 1994-2006 in a coaching capacity, including as the defensive coordinator for the final seven years of his tenure.
Zimmer was hired in 2014 as Vikings head coach. He lasted eight seasons, compiling a 72-56-1 record. He won two NFC North titles battling Mike McCarthy's Packers and went 2-3 in the playoffs, culminating in a NFC Championship Game appearance in 2017.
Micah Parsons and DeMarvion Overshown have advocated for Zimmer to return as defensive coordinator. It stands to reason that they would welcome him as the head coach, too. We just assumed given the retirement speculation that he didn't have interest in the job.
Now, he is suddenly a legit candidate to get an interview.