Ex-Vikings Coach Interviewed for Cowboys HC Job
The Minnesota Vikings hired their head coach, Kevin O’Connell, in 2022, and he has been wonderful for three years. The one missing piece is playoff success, but the culture he has built and the regular-season record are undeniable.
Ex-Vikings Coach Interviewed for Cowboys HC Job
His predecessor, Mike Zimmer, took a couple of years off from coaching after the Vikings said goodbye, but he reemerged in 2024 as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, taking over for the departed Dan Quinn, who has since taken the Commanders to the NFC Championship game in his first season in charge.
Zimmer’s defense couldn’t live up to the Quinn years, although injuries surely played a role. On offense, quarterback Dak Prescott got hurt, too. After the season and a few days of contemplating, the Cowboys decided to part ways with head coach Mike McCarthy.
Now, that job is available. It’s perhaps the most polarizing job in the sport, as the Cowboys are always in the spotlight with Jerry Jones at the helm.
Among numerous interviews, the Dallas Cowboys completed one with former Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier on Monday.
The Cowboys write on their website, “The Cowboys have conducted their third head coaching interview since moving on from Mike McCarthy, with Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier completing his interview on Monday.”
Dallas has also interviewed former Jets head coach Robert Saleh and their former quarterback and offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore.
An interview with their own offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, is also planned. The betting odds suggest that he is the favorite to land the coveted gig.
Frazier was Minnesota’s head coach from 2011-2013 and the interim head coach in 2010, joining the franchise in 2007 as the defensive coordinator.
His last coordinator job was with the Bills, where he transformed his side of the ball into one of the league’s best. In the final three years in Buffalo, Frazier’s group ranked fifth in EPA/play. He then decided to take some time off but had always desired to make a return to coaching.
In 2024, he was named assistant head coach for the Seattle Seahawks, assisting first-year head coach Mike Macdonald. That role is similar to that of Mike Pettine, who is the assistant head coach for Kevin O’Connell.
Frazier’s time in Minnesota was complicated because he simply didn’t have a quarterback to compete. His franchise player, Adrian Peterson, carried the organization to the playoffs in 2012.
That playoff participation was followed by a horrendous 2013 campaign with one of the worst defenses in franchise history. Zimmer was hired and fixed the unit.
Last year, Frazier was interviewed for the top jobs of the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders, but both organizations chose a different path. He seems to be an underdog in the race for Dallas’ opening, but by hiring McCarthy last time, it became obvious that owner Jerry Jones doesn’t shy away from experienced coaches.
Frazier is 65 years old. He has been a coach in the NFL for over two decades.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt