Malik Hooker Reveals Biggest Difference Between Mike Zimmer, Dan Quinn
It's no secret that the Dallas Cowboys saw their fair share of names depart the franchise this offseason. One of the biggest names that left town was former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who accepted a bigger challenge by joining the rival Washington Commanders as their new head coach.
Fortunately, the Cowboys weren't without a DC for long. The franchise promptly hired Mike Zimmer back in February to fill Quinn's void after the former spent the 2023 season as a consultant for the Colorado Buffaloes. It was also a reunion for Zimmer, who previously spent 12 years with the Cowboys, including his final six as the defensive coordinator.
Playing under a new DC can require adjusting for the players, though, and Cowboys safety Malik Hooker has highlighted the main difference between his new and former defense gurus.
Cowboys News: Malik Hooker Compares Differences Between Mike Zimmer, Dan Quinn
On June 27, Hooker appeared on an episode of the "All Facts No Brakes" podcast hosted by ex-Cowboy Keyshawn Johnson. The 28-year-old safety talked about how playing under Zimmer following three seasons with Quinn isn't that different in terms of schemes, however, how each coach disciplines their players is what sets them apart.
"Mike Zimmer will give you a couple of chances to mess up and learn," Hooker said when describing the newest Cowboys DC. " Dan Quinn, on the other hand, is more player-oriented. If something wasn’t clicking, he’d adjust things to make it easier for everyone to succeed."
While having a player-oriented coach like Quinn can be a good thing, it can also be a double-edged sword. Some schemes and concepts can be hard for players to grasp, however, they also can't get better if they aren't given the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
Hopefully, Zimmer's arrival leads to the Cowboys playing a more disciplined brand of football. It was mistake after mistake during the 2023 NFL season as America's Team racked up 115 penalties (T-30th) for a total of 964 yards (32nd). Of those calls, 14 were for defensive holding (T-29th) and nine were for defensive pass interference (T-17th).
Discipline issues aren't new for the Cowboys, who've been a top-11 penalized team in each of the last four seasons. Hell, two of the last three campaigns saw them finish either No. 1 or 2 in that regard, which is inexcusable if Jerry Jones & Co. expects the franchise to be a Super Bowl contender each season.
The good news is that the Minnesota Vikings were among the NFL's least penalized teams during Zimmer's eight years behind the bench. If he can help Dallas' defense develop healthy habits and keep itself in the officials' good graces, the Cowboys will be a better team for it.
A stronger defensive effort would go far in helping Dallas win its third division title since 2021. For now, the Cowboys own the second-best NFC East odds (+150) on FanDuel Sportsbook, sitting just behind the Philadelphia Eagles (-110). For reference, Quinn's Commanders sit third at a distant +1000.
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