New Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker knew immediately that Dallas was the right spot for him.
Well, it's taken a while, but we've finally heard from new Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
At his introductory press conference, the young, hotshot coordinator sat beside head coach Brian Schottenheimer as he took on the first "big" job of his career.
With the Cowboys' defense a basketcase under Matt Eberflus last season, many were interested to see what Parker can do for this unit over the course of the offseason.
Granted, the bar wasn't set too high, but there's no denying that the Cowboys, at least right now, appear to have gotten the decision right.
But what about from Parker's perspective?
What made Dallas such an attractive proposition?
"When we initially started the process, you could tell there was an aligned vision for what they wanted in the position, where we wanted to go forward," Parker said.
"The biggest thing was just the alignment, you could feel from everybody in the building during those interactions that there was a shared vision involved and people wanted to move forward in the right direction."
So Schottenheimer's vision for what he wanted the Cowboys to be enticed Parker to swap Philadelphia for Dallas.
We have discussed that the defense needed to be just league-average, given the offensive potency, and that the Cowboys would have been a playoff team in 2025.
And as it turns out, that also played a role in Christian coming to The Star.
"Obviously a great deal of respect for not only the organization but the players involved on the team having been in the division for the past two years and having different times going against them," Parker added.
"Significant offensive firepower stayed up a lot of late nights trying to prepare for. It always helps when you have a franchise quarterback and offensive skilled players on that side of the ball that can control the game for you."
So now Parker will take control of a defense knowing that he has one of the best offenses in football there as cover.
Granted, the Cowboys' offense isn't without its warts, but maybe, under Parker, Schottenheimer can get that complementary football he was desperately craving last season to come to fruition?
That will be the hope.
With the Cowboys aligned on their 2026 vision, it is time to let Parker loose and transform this defense.
Into the offseason, we go.