After spending two years in the Marines from 1966 to 1968, including a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1967, he attended Fort Hays State College.
After two years coaching at Fort Hays State, he spent the following six seasons (1972–1977) as a high school assistant in Texas.
He returned from a one-year absence from football in 2006 as the assistant offensive line coach for the Buffalo Bills under Dick Jauron.
[6] Zierlein gained unwanted notoriety in 2007 when he mistakenly forwarded an e-mail to a large number of high-level NFL employees, including commissioner Roger Goodell.
The e-mail, which Zierlein had received from Steelers pro personnel coordinator Doug Whaley, contained an inappropriate video.