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Cowboys news: Dallas hiring former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator

The search is over and Mike Zimmer is back in a familiar place.

Mike Zimmer is back in the NFL — and back where it all began.

Dallas is hiring Zimmer, a former head coach for the Minnesota Vikings and a longtime Cowboys assistant, to be its new defensive coordinator, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported.

Zimmer has emerged from a high-profile list of interviewees that also included former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera and former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

Zimmer has long been known for leading hard-nosed defenses and his gritty approach to coaching, something that should lend perfectly to replacing Dan Quinn, who went on to become the Commanders HC after three seasons leading a top-five scoring defense in Dallas.