Former Vikings coach Mike Zimmer has landed on his feet with a school that continues to find its footing.
Zimmer, via HBCUGameday.com, has accepted a position on Deion Sanders’ staff at Jackson State. Sanders introduced Zimmer to the team on Tuesday.
“He’s asked me about it a few times,” Zimmer said. “The pay’s not good. But I do love Deion and I’d do anything for him.”
Zimmer coached Deion in Dallas from 1995, serving as defensive backs coach during Sanders’ entire tenure with the team.
“He 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.” Zimmer said. “And taking care of them, and talking to them about the real things that go on in the world and not the fluff stuff.”
Zimmer definitely isn’t one for fluff stuff. He’s an old-school, Parcells-style coach who’s stingy with praise and generous with criticism. It’ll be interesting to see whether Sanders steers Zimmer away from that style, or whether they’ll do a good cop/bad cop thing when players need some tough love.