Latest news with #MikeZimmer
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Deion Sanders Wants Two NFL Coaches in Colorado to Break 200 Years of Experience
Deion Sanders Wants Two NFL Coaches in Colorado to Break 200 Years of Experience originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Since Deion Sanders took over as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes in 2023, he has focused on building a coaching staff with deep NFL roots. His vision is clear by surround his players with coaches who not only understand the next level, but who have lived it. Advertisement Sanders wants his players to pursue NFL dreams in an environment where they're coached by men who have been there either as players, coaches, or both. This philosophy has paid off in a massive way in Boulder. Not only are recruits starting to buy in, but transfer players who've experience other programs see the cultural movement. From the beginning, Sanders assembled a staff filled with impressive NFL experience, including Hall of Famers like Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp. That trend may not be over just yet. During his appearance at Big 12 Media Days last week, Sanders made headlines when he shared his desire to add two more prominent names in Mike Zimmer and Byron Leftwich. 'Our coaching staff, this is without Byron Leftwich, which I'm praying that he does the right thing, and Mike Zimmer, we have 160 years of NFL experience,' Sanders said during his opening speech. 'With those two added, that's 204 years of NFL experience. And I want those years.' Zimmer, the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, already worked with Sanders during his time at Jackson State. His defensive mind and NFL resume would be a natural fit in Boulder. Leftwich, meanwhile, made his mark in the NFL both as a player and coach. A former first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Leftwich rose to prominence as an offensive coordinator under Bruce Arians in Tampa Bay. His tenure from 2019 to 2022 included helping land free agent quarterback Tom Brady and leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV title. Advertisement Related: Has Colorado Football Lost Its Hype? Can Coach Prime Reignite in 2025? Adding both coaches would further cement Colorado's coaching staff as one of the most NFL-ready in the nation. With a potential total of over 200 combined years of league experience, Sanders is building an NFL pipeline. For recruits dreaming of Sundays, Colorado might soon be the closest thing to a professional environment in college football. Related: Will Deion Sanders Pass The Nike Torch to Shedeur Before NFL Season? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Zimmer announces reelection run for Senate District 35
Iowa State Senator Mike Zimmer has announced he will be running for reelection to represent Senate District 35 in the Iowa Senate. 'Back in January, I was honored to be given the opportunity to represent Clinton, Jackson, and Scott Counties in the Iowa Senate,' Zimmer said in a news release. 'Since then, I've hit the ground running for all of my constituents in the Capitol, fighting for stronger public schools, protecting landowners' rights, better wages, affordable housing, and childcare and a future where working families can get ahead, not just get by.' 'The work to bring Iowa values back to the Senate has just begun, and there's so much left to do, like fully funding our public schools and AEAs, expanding Highway 30, raising wages and lowering costs for everyday Iowans. That's why I'm excited to announce that I'm running for re-election in Senate District 35: to bring our Iowa-raised, Iowa values of hard work, fairness and integrity to the state capitol in Des Moines.' Zimmer has been married to his wife Tammy for 42 years and they have five children and 10 grandchildren. Mike is an active member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Long Grove, is a 3rd Degree Knight of Columbus and serves as the volunteer driver coordinator for Humble Dwellings. Click here for more on Zimmer and his campaign. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Ex Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer Scores Unexpected Prize
Ex Cowboys Defensive Coordinator Mike Zimmer Scores Unexpected Prize originally appeared on Athlon Sports. FRISCO — Mike Zimmer's second stint with the Dallas Cowboys lasted one brutal season. Zimmer's schematic fit was a tough one from the start with the Cowboys but never really had the chance to blossom. Advertisement Dallas' injury woes plagued the team on both sides of the ball last season but especially on the defensive side where they never had their full assortment of key contributors. Nonetheless, both sides have moved on for the better. Zimmer himself may be on the way out from the game entirely with retirement on the horizon. However, the long-time NFL coach has other ventures lined up and is already enjoying those successes. Zimmer has gotten entrenched in the horse racing game and has owned Zimmer Ridge Ranch since 2013. Over Father's Day weekend, one of his horses scored a big win in a race at the famous Churchill Downs. His horse, Not This Boy, cruised to a dominant victory, winning by nearly seven lengths. The triumph came with a cash prize of $134,000. The vast majority of that figure traditionally goes to the owner. Advertisement It's a landmark moment for Zimmer in his second hobby, one coincidentally brought about by former Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells whom he worked with in Dallas from 2003 to 2006. Zimmer coached consistently in the NFL from 1994 through 2021. His first stint in Dallas lasted from that '94 season through 2006. From there he had two separate roles as a defensive coordinator with the Atlanta Falcons and Cincinnati Bengals before becoming the Minnesota Vikings head coach in 2014. While Zimmer may have not gotten the conclusion to his NFL career that he wanted, he can find comfort in finding this exciting hobby to focus his efforts on in this next stage of his life. Related: Micah Parsons Gets Major Endorsement For Contract Extension Related: George Pickens Is '99.9 Percent Perfect' Move To Cowboys Optimism This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vikings' Trade for Sam Bradford Deemed Worst Trade in 10 Years
Vikings' Trade for Sam Bradford Deemed Worst Trade in 10 Years originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Vikings haven't had the best luck at quarterback, but a few moments have altered the course of the franchise dramatically. Advertisement Coming off a Pro Bowl and playoff berth in his second season, 2014 first-round pick Teddy Bridgewater was poised to take a great leap with the Vikings before he suffered a devastating knee injury late in training camp. The Vikings had just a few weeks to find a new starting quarterback and were rightfully scrambling, leading to what Bleacher Report deemed the franchise's worst trade of the decade. Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer alongside quarterback Sam Bradford (8) against the New Orleans J. Rebilas-Imagn Images "In panic mode, then-GM Rick Spielman traded for [Sam] Bradford. Of course, the 2010 first overall pick (by the Rams) had his own lengthy injury history—including torn ACLs in 2013 and 2014—which is why the Eagles traded up for Carson Wentz in the 2016 draft and were willing to move Bradford afterward," . Advertisement "The Vikings surrendered a 2017 first-round pick and a conditional 2018 fourth-round pick. That's a lot for an oft-injured player who clearly wasn't considered Philly's QB of the future. In return, Minnesota got 17 starts over two seasons out of Bradford," he added. Despite Bradford's late arrival, the Vikings went 5-0 to start the season before fizzling out and finishing 8-8. Bradford went 7-8, throwing for 3,877 yards, 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions. However, his Vikings tenure was largely overshadowed by the emergence of Case Keenum. Bradford started just two of the first five games of the 2017 season due to a knee injury before he was lost for the season with an ACL tear, thrusting Keenum, the team's No. 3 quarterback, into the starting role. Keenum led the Vikings on a run to the NFC title game and was the orchestrator of the Minneapolis Miracle. Advertisement The Vikings eventually opted for more stability at the position, signing Kirk Cousins to the first fully guaranteed contract in NFL history. However, despite six seasons and $185 million invested in Cousins, the Vikings never returned to the NFC Championship Game. After trying to make it work with Cousins, the new regime of Kevin O'Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has hitched itself to J.J. McCarthy as the next long-term answer at the position. Related: Vikings Named Landing Spot for NFC North Rival Defender This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense
double-a-gap-mug-nfl-offense originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Imagine walking up to a poker table and watching two players push all their chips to the middle before the dealer even flips the cards. That's what a double A-gap mug is. A bluff, a bet, and a dare — all at once, except with linebackers. Advertisement Popularized by Mike Zimmer in the early 2010s, the double A-gap mug became a go-to for defensive coordinators who were tired of sitting back and letting opposing offenses dictate everything. The quarterbacks who were well-prepared mentally could show up on game day largely stress free and knowing exactly what to expect. The result of the game (or at the very least the success of the offense) largely boiled down to execution. It's a much different game now and this is one of the three most significant ways defensive coordinators are taking things in their own hands. Here's the setup: two linebackers hover right over the center, lined up directly in the A-gaps (the spaces between the center and each guard). They're just standing there — staring the quarterback down like bodyguards outside the club. Advertisement But here's the kicker: they might blitz. They might drop back. One might go while the other stays. Or they might just force the center to slide protection that way, opening up chaos elsewhere. It's stress. It's confusion. It's control. And it's why your interior offensive line better be as solid as your blindside tackle. And how do the Dallas Cowboys combat all of this? Three ways ... 1 - Trust in the intellectual acumen of QB Dak Prescott? Check. 2 - Invest in guard play. Tyler Smith and Tyler Booker? Double-check. 3 - Rely on the creative experience of new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, an offensive mind? We can't "check'' that box yet ... but we are hopeful. Advertisement In today's NFL, pressure doesn't always come off the edge. It comes right up the gut — sometimes disguised, sometimes delayed, and often times deadly. Defenses are no longer passive. They're aggressive. And that means the offense needs to be aggressive in fighting back. Related: NFL Is Ever-Evolving And The New Dallas Cowboys Are Changing to Keep Pace Related: Dak Still Developing' Quote Getting Twisted by Cowboys Haters This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
