Dallas Cowboys hire Cristian Garcia as defensive quality control coach
The Dallas Cowboys are continuing to fill out the defensive staff under new coordinator Mike Zimmer this week. On Friday, the team hired Cristian Garcia as a defensive quality control coach, sources revealed to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News.
Last season, Garcia closed out the year as the Washington Commanders’ interim defensive backs coach following staff changes under Ron Rivera. According to Gehlken, he will be assisting returning Cowboys defensive backs coach Al Harris with the secondary.
While with the Commanders, Garcia worked with new Cowboys defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina who Zimmer hired last week. He spent three seasons in D.C., first as a defensive coaching assistant then as a quality control coach. He began coaching in the NFL following a brief stint as a graduate assistant at Georgia Tech under head coach Geoff Collins. The two developed a relationship when Collins was the defensive coordinator for the Florida Gators and Garcia played in his system.
A former Gator himself, Garcia was a linebacker, contributing from 2015 to 2017 after joining the team as a walk-on. He’s a native of Miami, Florida.
On top of Garcia, Zgonina and Zimmer, the Cowboys have also hired former defensive end Greg Ellis and run game coordinator Paul Guenther to the staff. They fill the jobs left by Dan Quinn, Aden Durde, Joe Whitt Jr. and Sharrif Floyd.
Cowboys add Steve Shimko to offensive staff
The Dallas Cowboys announced the hire of former Boston College offensive coordinator Steve Shimko as a new offensive assistant. The new hire comes after the departure of offensive assistant Will Harriger. Harriger accepted the job as the Carolina Panthers quarterbacks coach under new head coach Dave Canales.
Shimko served as the Boston College Eagles’ offensive coordinator under head coach Jeff Hafley. Hafley opted to enter the NFL ranks this offseason, leaving BC free to hire former Texans head coach Bill O’Brien. The abrupt change in head coach left Shimko open to exploring other opportunities.
He’s the fifth new hire for Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and the first on the offensive side of the ball. Nearly all of McCarthy’s offensive staff remains in place following the end of the 2023 season. Shimko previously worked with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in Seattle during the 2018 and 2019 seasons while he was an assistant QB coach. Along with Boston College and Seattle, Shimko has also coached at Rutgers, Georgia, and Garden City.