Cowboys add two coaches to their staff, including an old face.
We all expected adjustments to the defense once Dan Quinn left for Washington. The Cowboys have signed Mike Zimmer as their new defensive coordinator, marking his return to the franchise.
We all expected adjustments to the defense once Dan Quinn left for Washington.
Mike Zimmer was appointed as the Cowboys’ new defensive coordinator, returning to the organization that gave him his first opportunity.
Zimmer served as Cowboys defensive coordinator from 2000 to 2006 before moving on to coach in Atlanta, Cincinnati, and Minnesota.
The Cowboys appear to be giving Zimmer some leeway in personnel selection.
ESPN NFL Nation writer Todd Archer reports that Dallas has hired veteran NFL defensive tackle Jeff Zgonina from the Commanders.
Washington has acquired Dan Quinn and Joe Whitt Jr. from the Cowboys, so taking a coach away from their staff in exchange has a comic irony.
In a related move, former first-round pick Greg Ellis was hired as Zgonina’s assistant defensive line coach.
Playing Career
Jeff Zgonina had a more lucrative career than the average player, playing for seven different clubs over 17 years as a defensive tackle.
The Pittsburgh Steelers chose him in the seventh round in 1993, but he only stayed with them for two years before moving on to Carolina, Atlanta, St. Louis, and Indianapolis.
It wasn’t until 1999, his second tenure in St. Louis, that Zgonina established himself as an important member of the defense.
Zgonina won a Super Bowl with the Rams, where he spent four years before moving on to Miami and Houston for the final seven years of his career.
He retired at the age of 39, having recorded 458 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, 26.0 sacks, 13 fumble recoveries, and one interception.
Coaching Career
Zgonina began his coaching career in 2013 as an assistant defensive line coach with the Houston Texans, the team he last played for before retiring.
After three years in Houston, he played the same position for the New York Giants for one season.
In 2017, the San Francisco 49ers signed Zgonina as their defensive line coach, giving him his first shot.
In three years along the bay, Zgonina coached productive players such as DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas, Arik Armstead, and Nick Bosa.
He was then appointed as Washington’s assistant defensive line coach in 2020, before being promoted to head defensive line coach in 2023.
He was not retained by Washington, which is not surprising given the team’s new head coach and defensive coordinator.
Zimmer welcomes Zgonina to his staff, and he hopes to improve the defensive line’s technique and discipline.
Greg Ellis
In a parallel move, the Cowboys have signed former 1998 first-round pick Greg Ellis as an assistant defensive line coach.
Ellis played 11 of his 12 NFL seasons for the Cowboys, where he was a valuable member of the defense.
Unfortunately, Ellis is better recognized for being the player Jerry Jones and the Cowboys chose over future Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss, a decision that continues to haunt Cowboys Nation today.
His contributions with the Cowboys should not be underestimated.
He ended his Cowboys career with 502 tackles, 75 tackles for loss, 20 forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, four interceptions, and two career touchdowns.
This is Ellis’ first experience coaching an NFL franchise.
