How well did Mike Zimmer’s first game back as Cowboys defensive coordinator go? Let one of his former standouts tell you.

Zimmer’s defensive play calling in Dallas’ Week 1 victory over the Cleveland Browns impressed many, including Cowboys icon DeMarcus Ware. Ware particularly liked how Zimmer used do-it-all weapon Micah Parsons at different spots.

“Micah needed someone to come in to move him around a little bit. To help him be a lot more disruptive,” Ware told The Dallas Morning News on Thursday. “I got to see him play on the defensive line, a little bit of [a] linebacker position. That’s where Micah needs to be. The offenses do not need to be able to point Micah out and say, ‘He’s always on the left side.’”

Ware used the phrase “catalyst” to describe Parsons, noting how his influence led to key plays from DeMarcus Lawrence, Trevon Diggs and others.

Drafted by the Cowboys in 2005, Ware started his professional career on Zimmer-led defenses. Zimmer was the team’s defensive coordinator during the two-year span (2005-06) where Dallas shifted from a 4-3 scheme to the 3-4. Ware thrived in the new system as a pass-rushing outside linebacker.

The Pro Football Hall of Famer said an aggressive approach was among the changes he noticed in Dallas’ shift from Dan Quinn’s scheme to Zimmer’s.

“They blitzed a lot. I know that, from a cornerback’s standpoint, a linebacker’s standpoint, a lot more movement of the defensive line and bringing guys off the edge,” Ware said. “I know that playing with Zimmer, how his defense is — it was a lot more aggressive.

“It wasn’t about, ‘OK, you sit here, you play the B-gap and hopefully things work. No, I need these athletic guys moving around to create havoc in the backfield.’”

Ware added that he expects the Cowboys’ Week 1 blueprint to carry over through the rest of the 2024 season. He wants to see consistency in the team, especially when road games bring tougher opponents later in the year.

Before the Cowboys opened the season, they signed two of their biggest stars in Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb to major extensions. Like many Cowboys fans, Ware said he was happy to see those deals get signed. He also noted how Parsons is next in line for a big-money contract.

“With Micah, you can’t get rid of Micah,” Ware said. “You just can’t draft a defensive guy that’s going to come in and be as impactful as he’s been. So, he’s next. I think those are the three guys — when you get your defensive guy, a wide receiver and you’ve got your quarterback — guys that can get out there, just be the great leaders on the team and drive them where they need to.”

Going into Week 2 of the NFL season, Ware will be at AT&T Stadium ahead of the Cowboys’ meeting with the New Orleans Saints. He’s partnering with Crown Royal for a tailgating experience that will promote the brand’s Purple Bag Project.

The project is designed to send care packages to deployed military members. Those attending will also get a chance to see the Crown Royal Rig, an 18-wheeler that is touring multiple NFL stadiums this season.

Ware is maintaining high hopes for the Cowboys as they enter another year. Although Dallas will take on NFC heavyweights like the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles, Ware could see the Cowboys making it to Super Bowl LIX in February.

Their opponent? The three-peat-seeking Kansas City Chiefs.

“We need to stop this 28-year drought. Are you kidding me?” Ware said. “It hurts a little bit. Especially me having nine years of that.”

Find more Cowboys coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A man has died after he was shot Friday morning in northwest Miami-Dade, authorities confirmed to Local 10 News.

According to Miami-Dade police Detective Angel Rodriguez, officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert in the 900 block of Northwest 80th Street just before 6:30 a.m. and found a man who was suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

Rodriguez said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel transported the victim to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where he was initially listed in critical condition but later died.

Police did not immediately have a description of the shooter and a motive remains unclear.

Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477.

Uber riders in Austin and Atlanta will be able to hail a Waymo robotaxi through the app in early 2025 as part of an expanded partnership between the two companies. 

Waymo’s autonomous vehicles have been available on the Uber app in Phoenix since October 2023. This expansion comes at a time when Uber has been snatching up self-driving partnerships across its ride-hail and delivery verticals. Last month, Uber announced  partnerships with GM’s Cruise and the U.K.’s Wayve. 

Waymo runs its own commercial autonomous ride-hailing service, Waymo One, in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles, providing around 100,000 trips per week, according to the company. The Alphabet-owned AV company began testing robotaxis in Atlanta and shuttling its own employees in Austin earlier this year; these are usually the first steps Waymo takes before it begins offering the Waymo One service in new markets. However, with this partnership, Waymo’s fleet of Jaguar I-Paces will only be hailable via Uber in Austin and Atlanta. 

Waymo did note that in the weeks to come, a limited number of early riders will be able to access rides in Austin and Atlanta via the Waymo One app. 

Waymo did not share how many vehicles it would dispatch in Austin and Atlanta, but said the fleet would “grow to hundreds of vehicles over time.” Uber will handle the fleet management services, like cleaning and repairing the cars, while Waymo will continue to be responsible for testing and operations of the Waymo Driver, including roadside assistance and other rider support functions. 

The company said it would continue to own and operate Waymo One services in its existing markets, but it’s possible Waymo’s long-term plan involves extending such partnerships so it can focus on offering the technology-as-a-service, instead of putting resources into operations, which adds significantly to overhead costs. 

Waymo did not respond in time to TechCrunch to clarify its partnership strategy in the future.

The expansion comes as Waymo continues to be under federal investigation after regulators in May received 22 reports of its robotaxis crashing or potentially violating traffic safety laws by driving in the wrong lane or into construction zones.