10-19-2018, 01:23 PM
Shortly after the Vikings finalized a deal to make Mike Zimmer their ninth head coach on Jan. 15, 2014, they placed a call to the agents for Todd Bowles, informing them that the then-Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator wouldn’t be their pick.
Bowles was the only other finalist for the job whose name became known, and he was waiting to see if he would get a second interview when the Vikings hired Zimmer. Instead, Bowles remained in Arizona for another year before becoming the Jets coach almost a year to the day after the Vikings hired Zimmer.
On Sunday, Bowles will coach against his old boss for the first time.
He was the Dallas secondary coach in Zimmer’s final year as Cowboys defensive coordinator, and worked on former Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano’s staff in Miami when Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards was the linebackers coach.
“We text quite a bit. It’s Zimmer, it was George Edwards,” Bowles said. “I’ve been with [defensive line coach] Andre Patterson [in Cleveland in 2003 and 2004]. I’ve been with quite a few guys over there. Zim’s one of the smartest defensive coaches I’ve been around, in terms of details, and I learned a lot from him in Dallas. We continue to keep in touch when we need things, or anything like that, as well as George, as well as Andre. We have a very good relationship.
”http://www.startribune.com/jets-coach-todd-bowles-has-lengthy-shared-history-with-mike-zimmer-vikings-staff/497987581/
Bowles was the only other finalist for the job whose name became known, and he was waiting to see if he would get a second interview when the Vikings hired Zimmer. Instead, Bowles remained in Arizona for another year before becoming the Jets coach almost a year to the day after the Vikings hired Zimmer.
On Sunday, Bowles will coach against his old boss for the first time.
He was the Dallas secondary coach in Zimmer’s final year as Cowboys defensive coordinator, and worked on former Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano’s staff in Miami when Vikings defensive coordinator George Edwards was the linebackers coach.
“We text quite a bit. It’s Zimmer, it was George Edwards,” Bowles said. “I’ve been with [defensive line coach] Andre Patterson [in Cleveland in 2003 and 2004]. I’ve been with quite a few guys over there. Zim’s one of the smartest defensive coaches I’ve been around, in terms of details, and I learned a lot from him in Dallas. We continue to keep in touch when we need things, or anything like that, as well as George, as well as Andre. We have a very good relationship.
”http://www.startribune.com/jets-coach-todd-bowles-has-lengthy-shared-history-with-mike-zimmer-vikings-staff/497987581/
