Jerry Jones meddled with Cowboys' hiring of unchosen Colorado football defensive coordinator candidate

Jerry Jones reportedly meddled with his Dallas Cowboys' hiring of one of Coach Prime's unchosen Colorado football defensive coordinators, Mike Zimmer, to the same role in the DFW according to Cowboys Country's Mike Fisher.

"Zimmer has a unique bond and trust with the Jones family, dating back to when he broke into the NFL in 1994 … and stayed with the club all the way until 2006 while working under four different head coaches," Fisher prefaced before asking, "The constant during that time, including the final seven seasons of Zimmer's tenure here as the defensive coordinator? Jerry Jones. CowboysSI.com reported early on in this process that the team owner would help make the choice. And that is very much the case here.

"Some will call this 'meddling.' But it’s commonplace in Dallas. Indeed, Zimmer benefited from it through head coaching changes here over the years. And when present coach Mike McCarthy’s first-year carte blanche hire of buddy Mike Nolan didn’t work out? The front office got involved in helping McCarthy choose Quinn."

Colorado football never hired Mike Zimmer despite Coach Prime promising role

Zimmer was not only a defensive coordinator candidate for the Buffs this offseason, but he was promised a role on Colorado's staff by Coach Prime in January 2023.

“Coach Zimmer’s coming, too, by the way," Coach Prime said (h/t NBC Sports). "So another two head coaches. One in the NFL as well as collegiate. But not only that. Forget the titles — they know this game and they know kids and they’ve been capable of making tremendous decisions with the kids and the young men in mind. So that’s what I adore the most — understanding how to establish the relationships with these young men.”

Deion Sanders seemingly had his suggestion of Warren Sapp for his staff denied by the University of Colorado's brain trust, but it's unclear if Zimmer was denied by CU in the same fashion. Regardless, like Sapp, Zimmer may never be a Coach Prime assistant in Boulder now.