Eric Kendricks 'can't wait' to play under Mike Zimmer again
Eric Kendricks seems very excited about reuniting with Mike Zimmer.
The Dallas Cowboys needed linebacker help desperately going into the 2024 season. Before they added Marist Liufau in the third round of the NFL draft, they brought in veteran and former All-Pro Eric Kendricks on a one-year deal in March. About a month before that, the Cowboys ink a deal to bring in Mike Zimmer as their new defensive coordinator, making it the second stint for him with the organization.
This sets up a reunion between the two as Kendricks played under Zimmer for seven seasons (2015-2021) when he was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. During that span, Kendricks became one of the better linebackers in the league as he logged an All-Pro nod in 2019. Kendricks is at a different place in his career now, but he's still an effective player and will bring experience and leadership to the Cowboys' younger linebackers like DeMarvion Overshown and Damone Clark. Also, he'll be the green dot guy for Zimmer, meaning he'll get the calls directly from him and be an extension of him on the field. Simply put, he'll be the quarterback of the defensive side of the ball.
Seven years is a long time to play under a specific coach, and with that comes some trust and respect, which Kendricks talked about recently in regards to Zimmer.
“Yeah, absolutely, I always appreciated Zim,” Kendricks said via the Dallas Morning News. “Just the amount of defense I learned when I was underneath him. The way I watch film, the way we break things down, the install, a lot of things I learned from Zim and we had some good years and I can’t wait to continue that.”
Kendricks thoughts about Zimmer were a little different a few years ago.
After the Vikings 2021 season ended with an 8-9 record and not making the postseason, Kendricks criticized Zimmer’s "fear-based" approach to running things. Also, when it came to their relationship specifically, he told reporters that he felt some things were being left out and to ask Zimmer about them. That's doesn't exactly paint a pretty picture of their situation.
What's important to remember here is that Kendricks had just finished a long and grueling 17-game schedule. When factoring in all the work that goes into preparing for an NFL season with OTAs, minicamp, training camp, and then four months worth of games, plus not getting an opportunity to play in the playoffs, emotional responses can happen sometimes, and Kendricks is no exception to that.
That type of context is key in this particular situation. However, time heals all wounds as the saying goes, and Kendricks reiterated his eagerness to play under Zimmer again.
"Emotions were high," said Kendricks his comments two years ago. "We're very excited. It's good to be back with him. I love his walkthroughs. I love the little ways he does things, the way he structures things, the level of detail, so I'm excited. I really am.
The Vikings finished in the top five defensively three times during Zimmer’s time there, which included being the top unit in 2017 (275.9 yards allowed per game). Kendricks was a huge part of that success as he racked up six consecutive seasons with over 100 tackles (had 92 as a rookie) as the leader of the unit.
It's not just Kendricks that is eager to rekindle the relationship between the two. Zimmer feels the same way.
“He’s quick, he’s said [the defensive calls] before and done it before,” Zimmer said. “If he wasn’t here, how much different it would be. So we’re really glad that we have him. An All-Pro player for me, a while ago, obviously a really good player. Hopefully he’ll keep going that way and help the guys around him.”
It will be a totally different scheme and approach for the Cowboys defensively under Zimmer than it was with Dan Quinn. One of the changes is Zimmer will be on the sidelines and not in the booth like Quinn. Zimmer wants to be very hands-on during games, and Kendricks knows all about that style and what he wants from his defense.
The communication and bond between Kendricks and Zimmer will be extremely important for the Cowboys in 2024.
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