New Cowboys coordinator Christian Parker is ready for his first big job in the NFL, and he's leaning into his political science background to help him through it.
New Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker appears to have won over more people after his introductory press conference at The Star.
With Brian Schottenheimer overseeing the coaching search, which spanned a total of 40 candidates, nine of which were for the defensive coordinator position, when Dallas finally landed on Parker, it was seen as a great move for the franchise.
Schottenheimer wanted a teacher. Someone who, in his words, could take the complicated stuff and make it simple for his players, and in Parker's case, that is right in his wheelhouse.
But for all of his football acumen, which has been well documented in his development of players like Patrick Surtain and Cooper DeJean, just to name a few, it is his approach to coaching that has left many impressed.
And for that, Parker leans on his political science degree, which he earned back in 2013, to help him get ideas and navigate through the NFL coaching world to become the highly sought-after coach he is today.
“Going to the University of Richmond, in the political science realm, when you have those conversations about different leaders in the past, whether it's on the philosophy side or world leaders in different countries and figuring out different vantage points on why they did what they did, I think it definitely leads into the coaching world, Parker said.
“Whether it's Marcus Aurelius, and the whole philosophical realm there with the principle of stoicism and things like that. Or just 'The Art of War' and that military strategy. You see those worlds blended a lot when you come to those different backgrounds.
"So the books that I was supposed to read that I didn't, you end up circling back to when you get into this.”
That is certainly another feather in Parker's cap, and he is bringing a different set of ideas to The Star, and when you are referencing Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War,' that makes everyone's ears prick up.
The Cowboys' defense, at least on face value, will be far more prepared, both physically and more importantly, mentally, under Parker's guidance than it was a year ago.
Yes, Christian is saying all the right things, and we can't wait to see how it translates to the football field in 2026.