Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer has landed a new job, but it’s not the one that many would expect.
According to HBCUGameday.com, Zimmer has agreed to coach at Jackson State University, where he will work under former pupil Deion Sanders.
Zimmer coached Sanders as the defensive backs coach for the Dallas Cowboys from 1995 until he left for the Washington Commanders after the 1999 season. Sanders was a three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler under Zimmer’s watch and the two struck up a relationship that stands strong to this day.
Zimmer answered a phone call from Sanders during a press conference last November and once he was relieved from his duties in January, Sanders was one of the first to defend Zimmer, claiming that he and general manager Rick Spielman didn’t talk during the final months of their tenure.
Sanders reportedly introduced Zimmer to his team on Tuesday afternoon and the Tigers’ latest assistant gave some interesting thoughts on his new position.
“The pay’s not good,” Zimmer said. “But I do love Deion and I’d do anything for him. … [Sanders] can open up so many doors for these young men but I’m extremely impressed with the way he’s teaching them about life and not just football…taking care of them, and talking to them about the real things that go on in the world and not the fluff stuff.”
Sanders has coached Jackson State to respectability since taking over as their head coach in 2020, leading the Tigers to a 15-4 record in his first two seasons. He also has dominated the recruiting trail, landing cornerback Travis Hunter, who was the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2022, last spring.
While many figured Zimmer would land a job in the NFL, he appears to have landed on his feet. If he can teach the next wave of shutdown corners his old-school tricks, Zimmer might lay the foundation to return to the NFL down the road.
