Dallas targets a new defensive leader, aiming to break a cycle of turnover and finally bolster a struggling unit.
The Cowboys’ defensive coordinator search is officially entering the serious phase - the part where flights get booked, calendars tighten, and Jerry Jones starts leaning forward in his chair.
Nearly two weeks after parting ways with Matt Eberflus, Dallas is lining up second interviews with a short list of candidates, signaling the finish line may finally be in sight.
This time, the Cowboys appear determined to get it right, or at least avoid spinning the coordinator roulette wheel for a fifth straight season.
Minnesota Vikings pass game coordinator Daronte Jones is already in town, meeting with team leadership, while former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon has an in-person visit scheduled for Jan. 20.
Eagles pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker is also reportedly expected to get his face time soon, even if his meeting hasn’t hit the calendar just yet.
If this feels familiar, that’s because it is.
Since 2014, the Cowboys have cycled through defensive leaders the way most people rotate phone chargers - Rod Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer, and Eberflus have all taken turns.
Nolan, Zimmer, and Eberflus each lasted just one season, as stability has been more rumor than reality.
Gannon would fit the recent Dallas trend of hiring former head coaches to run the defense. While his time in Arizona was rocky (15 wins in 51 games), his body of work includes coordinating an elite Eagles defense that powered a Super Bowl run.
He’s also being pursued by Washington and Tennessee, so this won’t be a free layup.
Jones and Parker represent the opposite approach: younger, ascending coaches with modern defensive ideas.
Jones cut his teeth under Brian Flores in Minnesota and previously ran LSU’s defense, while Parker has risen quickly through the NFL ranks, helping engineer a top-tier Eagles pass defense.
Either would bring fresh energy - and a first-time NFL DC learning curve.
There’s also Jim Leonhard, though playoff logistics may delay any second meeting. Timing matters here, and Dallas doesn’t want to wait longer than it already has.
Whoever gets the job will inherit a clear mandate: fix it.
The Cowboys’ offense was good enough to contend in 2025. The defense was not, allowing the most points in the NFL and torpedoing the season into a 7-9-1 finish.
That won’t fly again, especially with Jerry Jones and Brian Schottenheimer expecting results, not explanations.
This hire isn’t about splash. It’s about survival.
Because in Dallas, the leash for defensive coordinators has been short ... and the patience even shorter.