Mike Zimmer dropped clues throughout the 2024 season that he might not return as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator. Sure enough, it was revealed shortly after Brian Schottenheimer was hired as head coach that Zimmer would not be returning to Dallas and will likely retire from coaching.
Cowboys fans were largely split about Zimmer potentially returning for a second year. While the defense found a nice grove over the final two months of the regular season, the consistency was not where it needed to be.
Well, star defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa may have just revealed why the team decided to move in a different direction.
Cowboys star Osa Odighizuwa takes swipe at Mike Zimmer while praising new DC Matt Eberflus
"Based on some of the things that we're being asked to do right now, I was going back and just watching some of the tape from last year, I'm like 'If I was doing the stuff that we're being coached to do now, I'm making this play, I'm making that play.'" Odighizuwa said. "So just seeing that there's going to be a lot more opportunities based on the stuff that he's having us do."
While a ringing endorsement of new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, that is a very troubling review of Zimmer.
It is impossible to know the X's and O's Odighizuwa is referring to, but he seemingly did not think Zimmer's system put him in the best position to succeed.
That may sound a bit wonky given Odighizuwa had a career year in 2024. On top of setting a career-high in sacks, he ranked third among DTs with 60 pressures, fourth with 14 quarterback hits, eighth in pass-rush win rate and fifth with a 78.5 pass-rush grade, per PFF.
Odighizuwa clearly thinks he could have been better, which speaks to both his mentality and the holes in Zimmer's coaching.
It could simply boil down to the three-technique position - where Odighizuwa plays - being the "engine" of Eberflus' scheme. Eberflus is on the record saying that.
The same way Eberflus is a linebacker whisperer, three-techs have consistently flourished in his system. DeForest Buckner was a first-team All-Pro with the Colts in his first year with Eberflus as his defensive coordinator.
While Eberflus had success as Indianapolis' DC, he was considered a questionable hire for the Cowboys because of his fit with Dallas' personnel. However, he is a dream match for Odighizuwa, who is one of the most important members of the defense.
Time will tell if Eberflus was the right hire, but Odighizuwa's comments hint that Cowboys players didn't enjoy playing for Zimmer as much as what was led on.
