The Dallas Cowboys have swiped a rising coach in the NFC East, and rival players are sad to see it happen.
The Dallas Cowboys have ended their extensive search for their next defensive coordinator by honing in on former Philadelphia Eagles pass-game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker.
Sources confirm here to CowboysRoundtable.com that Dallas has agreed to terms on a deal with Parker, 34, to replace embattled DC Matt Eberflus to become the new leader of a rebuilding defense next to head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Parker becomes the first defensive coordinator under 40 years old to be hired by the Cowboys since 1989 - the same year owner Jerry Jones bought the team.
The job is no easy task, as the Dallas defense rested near the bottom of most statistical categories in 2025. Schottenheimer, fresh off Year 1 as a head coach, proved enough to owner/general manager Jones, that he is capable of spearheading the search for a new coordinator, and he's landed on his guy in Parker, who has impressed while in the NFC East.
Parker comes to Dallas with a Super Bowl championship on his resume from 2024 in Philadelphia. He's also credited with the deveopment of cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, two players the Eagles consider as cornerstone pieces on their defense moving forward.
DeJean was vocal about his appreciation for Parker and how tough it is to see him move to a division rival.
"I don't think I'd be the player I am, or I'd have the success that I've had, without him," DeJean said. "He's poured a lot into me, and "Q" too, since we got here. I appreciate him for that."
DeJean was a top-five finisher for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award in 2024, and his sophomore season ended with a First-Team All-Pro selection. Perhaps his defining moment was the interception of Patrick Mahomes that was returned for a touchdown in the Eagles' Super Bowl win to close out the 2024 season.
Mitchell has seen his fair share of success under Parker's leadership in Philly, too. The second-year corner was also a First-Team All-Pro this year after recording 17 passes defensed and 45 total tackles.
Additionally, Parker contributing to the stellar careers of All-Pro cornerbacks Jaire Alexander, first as a defensive quality coach in Green Bay from 2019-20, and as defensive backs coach in Denver with future Defensive Player of the Year CB Patrick Surtain II.
That means the future looks bright for a Cowboys secondary that was awful against the pass in 2025. Solid pieces like DaRon Bland - who signed a four-year contract extension this past offseason - and 2025 draft pick Shavon Revel Jr. are expected to benefit most from this type of signing.
"Mannnn," DeJean added on social media after the news broke on Thursday. "They got a great one."
