Cincinnati Bengals 2009 Media Guide.indb - Bengals Home

MIKE ZIMMER — Defensive Coordinator
Mike Zimmer is back
for a second season as
Bengals defensive coordinator
in 2009, following
an ’08 campaign that featured
steady improvement
despite numerous injuries
to front-line players.
The Bengals finished
the season ranked 12th in
the NFL in fewest yards allowed
(325.5 per game). It was the franchise’s best ranking
since 2001 (ninth). As the Bengals closed the season with
a three-game win streak, opponents managed only 19 total
points and averaged 227.3 yards per game.
The defense tied a pair of club records during the
finishing stretch, holding foes scoreless for a stretch of
seven consecutive quarters and allowing no touchdowns
for nine consecutive quarters.
In Zimmer’s 4-3 scheme, ninth-year LB Dhani Jones
posted a career-high 165 tackles. LB Brandon Johnson,
who had no defensive stats over 2006-07 with Arizona,
blossomed into an impact defender with 112 stops. Their
play helped make up for the absence of top draft pick Keith
Rivers, who started promisingly but missed more than half
the year due to a jaw fracture.
Zimmer also helped accelerate the development of a
promising young secondary, led by former first-round draft
picks Leon Hall and Johnathan Joseph at CB.
An NFL defensive coordinator for the past nine
seasons, with prior assignments in Dallas and Atlanta,
Zimmer called the 2008 Bengals defense one of his
favorites.
“I’ve coached some really good defenses, but none
that I respected more than these guys,” Zimmer said.
“They came to work every single day, they listened to
me, and they didn’t complain. I was on them pretty good,
so I respect all of those guys.”
Zimmer was Dallas defensive coordinator from 2000-
06, including four years (’03-06) under head coach Bill
Parcells. Zimmer moved to the Atlanta Falcons as coordinator
in 2007, and with the departure of Bobby Petrino
as Falcons head coach, members of his staff were freed
to pursue other opportunities.
Zimmer is in his 16th season as an NFL coach. He
joined the NFL with Dallas in 1994, and after six seasons
ATT. DATE OPP. RESULT
1. 66,188 10-28-07 Pitt. L, 13-24
2. 66,113 10-1-07 N.E. L, 13-34
3. 66,104 10-23-05 Pitt. L, 13-27
4. 66,093 9-10-07 Balt. W, 27-20
5. 66,072 9-17-06 Cle. W, 34-17
BIG CROWDS AT PBS
— 7 —
working primarily as secondary coach, he was elevated
to coordinator.
Zimmer led top-10 defenses for Dallas in both the
4-3 and 3-4 schemes. His 4-3 defenses finished fourth in
net yards allowed (287.4) in 2001 and first in ’03 (253.5)
And in 2005, Zimmer installed a 3-4 scheme, marking the
Cowboys’ first departure from the 4-3 since the club was
founded in 1960. In that transition year, Dallas finished
10th in the NFL in total defense (300.9 yards allowed
per game).
Six times during Zimmer’s tenure as secondary coach
and coordinator, the Cowboys finished fifth or better in the
NFL in scoring defense. The No. 1-ranked yardage defense
that he coordinated in 2003 was No. 2 in league scoring
defense (16.3). Three of those Dallas defenses led the NFL
in fewest passing yards. Also during that tenure, Zimmer
guided the careers of eight defensive players who made
a combined total of 23 Pro Bowl appearances.
The list of defensive stars that Zimmer helped develop
at Dallas includes S Roy Williams (who is now with the
Bengals), CB Terence Newman and LB DeMarcus Ware.
All three players have made multiple Pro Bowls.
Zimmer earned a Super Bowl ring as secondary coach
with the 1995 Cowboys team that defeated Pittsburgh in
Super Bowl XXX. One of Zimmer’s players, unheralded
CB Larry Brown, won the game MVP award with a pair
of interceptions.
Zimmer coached 15 years in the college ranks before
joining the Cowboys, working at Missouri, Weber State
and Washington State.
The 2009 season is Zimmer’s 30th in coaching,
and he has been a defensive coordinator for 20 of those
campaigns.
Zimmer was born on June 5, 1956, in Peoria, Ill. He
played QB and later LB at Illinois State. His father, Bill,
made the Illinois Hall of Fame as a prep football and
wrestling coach.
PLAYING AND COACHING HISTORY — 1974-
76: Played QB and later LB at Illinois State. 1979-80: Assistant
coach (AC), Missouri. 1981-82: AC, Weber State.
1983-88: Defensive coordinator, Weber State. 1989-93:
Defensive coordinator, Washington State. 1994-99: AC,
Dallas Cowboys. 2000-06: Defensive coordinator, Dallas
Cowboys. 2007: Defensive coordinator, Atlanta Falcons.
2008-present: Defensive coordinator, Bengals.
The Bengals’ 10 largest home crowds in franchise history have all come since 2005:
ATT. DATE OPP. RESULT
6. 66,049 12-31-06 Pitt. L, 17-23 (OT)
7. 66,035 10-1-06 N.E. L, 13-38
8. 66,023 12-23-07 Cle. W, 19-14
9. 65,995 11-20-05 Ind. L, 37-45
10. 65,978 10-29-06 Atl. L, 27-29
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