Background and career
Michael Zimmer (born June 5, 1956) is an American football coach. He began his NFL career as a defensive assistant with the Dallas Cowboys in 1994, where he helped the team win Super Bowl XXX in January 1996. After positions as defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons (2007) and Cincinnati Bengals (2008–2013), and head coach of the Minnesota Vikings (2014–2021), Zimmer returned to Dallas in 2024 as the team's defensive coordinator. He has earned a reputation for developing top-ranked defenses and fostering strong team performance.
In high school, Zimmer was a successful multi-sport athlete who earned all-conference honors in football (1972–73), baseball, and wrestling at Lockport Township High School in Lockport, Illinois. He enrolled at Illinois State University, majoring in physical education. Zimmer played quarterback in 1974, but he redshirted the following year and moved to linebacker in 1976 after breaking his thumb. A neck injury prematurely ended Zimmer's playing career that same year. His college teammates were positively influenced by his constantly "up" attitude, especially during hot August pre-season double workouts. Zimmer backed up quarterback Bob Lopez in 1974, who later went on to set many of Illinois State's passing records.
Zimmer's first coaching job was as a part-time defensive assistant at the University of Missouri from 1979 to 1980. He then coached at Weber State College from 1981 to 1988, serving as the inside linebackers coach from 1981 to 1984, the defensive backs coach from 1985 to 1988, and the defensive coordinator from 1983 to 1988. From 1989 to 1993, Zimmer served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Washington State Cougars. In 1993, the Cougars defense ranked eighth in the nation in total defense and second in rushing defense.
Zimmer joined the Dallas Cowboys in 1994 as an assistant coach of the nickel defense under Barry Switzer. He was promoted to defensive backs coach the following year and served in that capacity before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2000. The 2003 Dallas Cowboys' defense gave up the fewest yards in the NFL while running an aggressive, speedy 4–3 defense. Despite the Cowboys' problems over the years, Zimmer survived several coaching changes (Switzer, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells) and was rumored to have been a candidate for the head coaching job at the University of Nebraska (circa 2003). In 2005, he implemented the 3–4 defense favored by head coach Bill Parcells, although Zimmer had no prior experience with it.
When Bobby Petrino was hired to coach the Atlanta Falcons early in 2007, Mike Zimmer agreed to become the new defensive coordinator in Atlanta. Zimmer coached in Atlanta for only one season after Petrino left the Falcons for the University of Arkansas after 13 games. Zimmer has been very outspoken against Petrino after Petrino's unexpected departure from Atlanta in 2007.
Zimmer was named the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals on January 15, 2008. In 2009, Zimmer earned NFL Assistant Coach of the Year honors from Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers and from CBSSports.com, after guiding the Bengals to the fourth-ranked defense in the league. In 2011, the Bengals defense finished with in total yards and in points allowed. In 2012, the Bengals defense finished sixth in total yards and eighth in points allowed, prompting the Cleveland Browns to interview Zimmer for their head-coaching vacancy. The Browns eventually hired former offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski on January 11, 2013.
Sources
Net-worth figure: Celebrity Net Worth (October 2026), in USD. Biography and career facts: the person's Wikipedia article and linked reporting. Snapshot date for all StarWorth figures: 28 October 2026.
