Rex Ryan Disputes Rumors Mike Zimmer Landed Cowboys DC Job: 'Not Sure About That'

An ESPN insider and former NFL coach disagreed about the status of Mike Zimmer's candidacy for the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator position on the Super Bowl episode of Sunday NFL Countdown.

After ESPN's Adam Schefter said the Cowboys "went ahead and hired" Zimmer, former New York Jets and Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan disputed the report.

"First off, I'm not so sure Zimmer has that job right now," Ryan said (h/t CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan and Garrett Podell.) "I'm not sure about that. I can honestly say I don't believe that's a fact right now."

Ryan has reportedly interviewed with the Cowboys for the open position.

Ryan then went on to describe his interest in returning to coaching as a defensive coordinator, a role he played with the Baltimore Ravens from 2005 to 2008.

The former coach, who began working as an ESPN analyst in 2017, said he had reached out to Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy about taking on the role in Dallas.

"The reason I was out for seven years was I had never called another head coach," Ryan said. "I called Mike McCarthy. The reason I did is because I want to be on this stage, if I'm going to get back into coaching, to have a chance at that."

"I think with this roster the way it is, I think offensively and special teams and defense, I can be a little bit of an upgrade. The team could be right here. That's why I was interested...This team, it is interesting, because they are so close to getting over that edge, and that's why I think people would be interested in this job."

Schefter was definitive earlier in the broadcast in stating that Zimmer, who served as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator from 2000 to 2006, had won the role over Ryan.

"Obviously, they talked to a wide number of candidates, like our own Rex Ryan, and I can tell you this: they loved Rex," Schefter said. "They were highly impressed with Rex. Rex made quite a mark on the Jones family. I'm a little surprised they didn't hire him, with as much as they loved him."

ESPN's Todd Archer and the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero both reported earlier this week that Zimmer was expected to take the defensive coordinator position. The Cowboys have yet to make an official announcement.