Not so fast: Mike Zimmer’s deal with Cowboys not done, Rex Ryan still in the mix

Oh, you thought I was out of the running? | Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Rex Ryan situation continues to be... interesting

In a sudden and not very welcome plot twist, the deal to hire Mike Zimmer as the new Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator is apparently not as done as we thought just a couple of days ago.

"The Dallas Cowboys loved Rex Ryan..

Mike Zimmer's deal isn't done yet and they've reached back out to Rex Ryan" @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/0iVXpKj7Ja

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 12, 2024

There were multiple reports last week that Zimmer was going to be Dan Quinn’s replacement, but notably there was no official announcement from the team. Over the weekend the Dallas media stated there were still things to be worked out, which is understandable given the precarious nature of taking the job while head coach Mike McCarthy is facing a strong possibility of being ousted should this year not go well. The job is essentially a one-year “gun for hire” situation, which could well have led to Zimmer making some monetary or other demands that the Jones family is hesitant to meet.

Rex Ryan has commented on why he would be interested in the job. On Super Bowl Sunday morning, Ryan appear on ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown and this connection with Dallas was brought up. He detailed his interest in the role:

“I will say this… the reason I was so, I’ve been out for 7 years. I’ve never called another head coach or anything like that. I called Mike McCarthy. And the reason I did is because I want to be on this stage. I want to be back on this stage, if I’m going to get back into coaching. Have a chance at that. I think with this roster… the way it is. I think offensively, special teams and defense… I figured I could make maybe even a little of an upgrade… that they could be right here. That’s why I was interested. I don’t… It’s funny how… well, should we get the… no. Your team has no chance at me. That’s generally the case. I would only go at the right, The right situation. And if it’s not completely right then I’m not going. But this team, it is interesting. Because they are so close to getting over that edge and that’s why I think people would be interested in this job.”

There were reports that Ryan’s own interview went very well with the team, making him the logical fallback. Some may react that this all is the typical self-inflicted drama that seems to swirl around the Cowboys all the time, but it is worth noting that the team never went on record about the Zimmer hire, other than to say they were working on it. This is all from reporting, and while some things are fed by the team to some of the reporters, there are times when sources may get ahead of themselves on their own. This is hardly the first time something like this has fallen through for the team.

We have done a lot of analysis of Zimmer’s work, so this certainly means some of our writers would have to go back and start over with Ryan if that came to pass. That is a bit more challenging because he has been out of the league much longer than Zimmer. But we will keep our radar on and relay all the latest developments as soon as they come.