After the Bengals had a surprisingly successful season led by a stingy defense, it’s no surprise that Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer is a hot head-coaching candidate. But there are apparently divergent opinions about Zimmer around the league.
In Indianapolis, Zimmer has emerged as a candidate to replace the fired head coach Jim Caldwell. And in Tampa Bay, Zimmer is one of the candidates to replace the fired head coach Raheem Morris. So there are at least a couple of struggling teams that think he could be the man to turn the franchise around.
But while Zimmer was once a candidate in Miami, the Dolphins have decided to move on to the next round of interviews without Zimmer, and the Miami Herald reports that one source said Zimmer might have been too blunt and honest for the Dolphins’ liking.
It is true that Zimmer is known for speaking his mind, particularly in regard to his time coaching on the Falcons’ staff under Bobby Petrino, who quit during the season to coach at Arkansas. Zimmer called Petrino “a gutless bastard” and “a coward” who “didn’t have enough nuts to stay there and finish the job.”
I’m no NFL owner, but that’s the kind of blunt honesty I love to see in a coach.