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[Dallas Cowboys]

4 reasons why the Cowboys got manhandled in the Meadowlands

So much for trying to carry momentum in the next year. With the final score of 34-17, the Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season is now over. The New York Giants, with nothing but pride to play for, soundly beat the Cowboys to send Dallas into the offseason with a whimper. After a comedy of errors in the first half, the Cowboys opted to sit Dak Prescott in the second half, likely to protect him from any unnecessary injuries. With the loss, the Cowboys fell well short of expectations and to a 7-9-1 record.

The Cowboys have battled their demons of poor fundamental football and a lack of cohesion on the defensive end. The changes coming in the offseason will feel like a much-needed exorcism of sorts. In the big picture, the Cowboys helped their draft positioning. However, losing is never fun or easy, even if there are benefits in the long run. Let’s lay a few roses on the ground as we lay this dreadful season to rest. Here’s how the Cowboys fell flat against the Giants.

Effort and Tackling ​

We know that personnel is a problem. The Cowboys don’t have enough talent, particularly in the back seven of the defense. That said, that doesn’t excuse them from playing with proper technique and tackling in space. Corey Ballentine had an opportunity to get the defense off the field on 3rd and 11 when Jaxson Dart threw a short pass to Darius Slayton. Unfortunately, Ballentine was unable to make the open field tackle, and Slayton got away for 17 yards and a first down. Later on in this series, New York would score a field goal that wouldn’t have happened if Ballentine had made the stop. The same applies to how the Cowboys struggled to contain plays to the outside against New York. On one occasion, Caelen Carson was supposed to keep containment to the outside of the play, but instead lost his leverage and allowed Tyrone Tracy to get to the edge and pick up a critical first down. Then there’s the unbelievable masterpiece of poor angles and effort:

Jaxson Dart avoids a sack and flips it to Daniel Bellinger for a Giants touchdown!

DALvsNYG on FOX/FOX Onehttps://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/d7mLpmdvBm

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2026

There’s no way that this should happen. Everyone on defense needs to take the proper angles so that Daniel Bellinger doesn’t have an easy outlet to the end zone. Watch the clip a few times and count out how many defenders could have been in a better position to make the tackle before Bellinger runs into the end zone. Entering this week’s game, the Cowboys have missed 106 tackles this season, the eighth most in the NFL. Tackling has been a season-long issue for the team that gave us one last ugly reminder in the season finale.

Joe Milton is a work in progress​

Joe Milton has a lot of talent that would entice many offensive coordinators in the league to work with him. He’s got a cannon for an arm and mobility. However, the rest of his game still needs to be developed. His interception to Bobby Okereke is a prime example of that. Milton was decisive in his read, so credit for that, but not anticipating in that spot before making the throw is where it burned him. Milton also has to improve his accuracy. You’ll see receivers running open, but Milton doesn’t yet have enough touch to put the ball in a good spot. Also, he’s a little late to see when his receivers come open, and he tries to overcompensate a closing window by adding more velocity on his throws, leading to misfires. Milton is only in his second year, so there’s room to improve, but he needs to get in the lab to correct some of these issues.

Coaching​

Lastly, the coaching in this game was not allowing the players to be at their best. Going back to Milton, the first two plays of the second half were so predictable. The Giants were licking their chops and waiting for the Cowboys to run the football, where they had back-to-back tackles for loss on two runs to Jaydon Blue. If you’re going to put Prescott on ice for the remainder of the game and his season, at least let Joe Milton come out swinging. The defense isn’t excused from poor coaching either. There is way too much confusion among the players at this stage of the season, and sadly, it has become commonplace.

When you watch the Giants on the two-point conversion to Slayton, you see how disjointed and frantic the defense is before the snap. Nobody knows who they’re responsible for. Taking it further, there was also the decision of Brian Schottenheimer not to decline a penalty near the end of the first half that resulted in a sack. Jadeveon Clowney, who by the way, was incredible against the Giants with three sacks, playfully asked coach Schottenheimer to decline the penalty so that rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku could get a sack. Schottenheimer declines the penalty to put the Giants at 2nd and 14, only for Kenneth Murray to commit an untimely, unnecessary roughness penalty one play later on the Giants’ sideline that results in the drive continuing and Bellinger’s touchdown.

Miscellaneous mistakes​

With Murray’s penalty accounted for, the Cowboys committed nine penalties for 94 yards of field position given away to the Giants. Caelen Carson didn’t have a great game in run support, but was also in on the penalty problem. He committed a back-breaking pass interference foul with the Giants only ahead by seven points and Dallas with a chance to tie the game. It was 3rd and 19 from New York’s 18-yard line. Dallas would’ve gotten great field position on a possible punt, and KaVontae Turpin starting to find his groove in the return game, could have been a big play for Dallas.

Instead, the Giants score three more points on the drive, and New York adds to their lead. You can tell that the long season had taken its toll on the players, and their frustration started to boil over. After New York took a two-score lead after a touchdown reception from Tracy, the team had had enough. Ezeiruaku was ejected in a scrum of Giants and a Cowboys defense at its breaking point. What you saw was a team that is angry but doesn’t know where to pick up the pieces, and mercifully, it’s over.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...iants-loss-coaching-penalties-tackling-issues

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Delaying defensive coordinator decision will only cost Cowboys

Monday marked a big day in the NFL. There are 14 teams preparing for the playoffs while 18 others are looking in the mirror, probably not exactly the case for some, in an attempt to be a part of that former group in a year’s time.

The Dallas Cowboys have missed out on the proverbial tournament for two years in a row now (first time since 2019-2020) and posted losing records in them as well (first time since 2000-2002). To say that they have a lot of work ahead of them this offseason is stating the obvious.

It is unfortunate that some of the “work” involves the dismissal of people from their posts. I say this on a human level to be clear. We all know that people are fired all of the time in the NFL and that this is a business, but it is just never a comfortable thing to call for someone else to lose their job.

Waiting to move on from Matt Eberflus will only cost the Cowboys​

The last few weeks have made Matt Eberflus’ departure from the Cowboys feel inevitable. He has served as the defensive coordinator for one of (literally speaking) the worst defenses in both franchise and NFL history. Beyond that Jerry Jones has dropped many a bread crumb in his appearances as of late that have suggested change is coming. Reports on Sunday morning were that coaching changes were expected with the focus to be on the defensive side of the ball. This isn’t coming out of nowhere.

Understanding all of this, waiting on and dragging this thing out will only serve to hurt the Cowboys. Unfortunately, it seems like they might be doing that. It was reported after Sunday’s season finale that they could even take “10-to-12 days” to work through this whole thing.

Decision on the future of Matt Eberflus not expected until thorough review over “next 10-to-12 days” is completed, Cowboys said.

“Once you go through the process, you know what you want to do. I don’t think we’ll rush any of these decisions.”

MORE https://t.co/qG5AfStqKr

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) January 4, 2026

Again, with all due respect, this is a horrible idea. Waiting on Eberflus will only serve to hinder the team. Why is this, you ask? This is a busy time of year for the 18 teams who are not headed to the postseason. They are all looking to improve in their own ways, and some are obviously doing it in larger ways if they fired someone notable. The point is that there is heavy competition going on right now.

The longer the Cowboys wait to move on from Eberflus, assuming it is their eventual plan, the longer they are providing time for potential replacement candidates to find homes elsewhere. This is common sense.

There is another detail to consider beyond competition as well. The NFL has a rule for this specific week where coaches from playoff teams are not allowed to be a part of the interview process. This is obviously in place so that coaches are not distracted in the pursuit of other jobs while trying to win a playoff game.

In case you forgot (more on this in a moment) there is an exception. The playoff teams who hold the first-round byes (so the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks) can see their staff participate in virtual interviews this week. They must be virtual and can only take place this week as they will obviously have games to prep for next week.

Only coaches who have a first-round bye, or aren't in the playoffs, are permitted to interview this week. That list includes Lou Anarumo, Vance Joseph, Matt Nagy and Steve Spagnuolo, who all have slips from Tennessee. https://t.co/X2bphn2n81

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 5, 2026

A reminder of the interview timelines for assistants: https://t.co/umvZZLtXPd pic.twitter.com/fg6SjlcjwN

— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 5, 2026

The Cowboys missed out in this provision last year. Recall that Dallas spent Wild Card week (so this week) last year debating on the future of Mike McCarthy. There were reports about how they were taking their time, going back and forth, and it was ultimately on the Monday of the Wild Card round (the day of the final game) that they announced they were moving on.

By dragging that decision out the Cowboys not only missed out on head coach candidates who were interviewing with teams through that week, but they also cost themselves the opportunity to interview candidates from the top seeds at the time which were the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn both got head coaching jobs, Johnson has the Chicago Bears in the playoffs this year, and the Cowboys didn’t even speak to either of them.

The point in bringing this up is not that Johnson and/or Glenn were better candidates than what wound up being Brian Schottenheimer. The point here is the principle, and that Dallas waiting on Mike McCarthy served to only negatively impact the process of something very important which was finding a new head coach.

For all we know the Cowboys could wind up keeping Matt Eberflus at his post. That decision would be met with, um, disagreement, but you know what? If they decided that immediately wouldn’t that at least be some sign of progress?

The Cowboys so desperately need to commit to something that doing so, even if it was something we disagreed with, and foregoing dragging the process out, would be improvement. It would hardly be the desired goal or meeting of any sort of standard, but it would be a literal step forward from recent times.

Waiting helps nobody. It hardly helps Matt Eberflus either to have his name tossed around on the internet. Waiting only hurts. Stop waiting. Do something. Anything. Just do it.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...defensvie-coordinator-team-impact-jerry-jones

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys need a new direction on defense, these 2 coordinators would do that

Well, it took a few days, but the first domino of the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason finally dropped. The team has fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. The dismissal could be seen coming from a mile away. The Dallas defense was among the worst in the NFL and the worst in franchise history, surrendering over 500 points. The Dallas defense couldn’t do anything well. They struggled to rush the passer, didn’t tackle well, and most importantly, they didn’t create takeaways.

The unit has hit rock bottom, and there is nowhere to go but up. With the decision to move on from Eberflus, the Cowboys have to act quickly in finding a suitable replacement, and they have to make a great decision. They will now have four defensive coordinators in as many seasons and have to develop some continuity by making the right hire. Before we analyze two realistic, yet ideal candidates, let’s first establish a few things.

Do not promote from within. The Cowboys haven’t yet decided on the status of Eberflus’ assistants and whether they also will be terminated. However, it doesn’t matter. The Cowboys were such a porous unit last year that everyone involved, especially the players, needs a fresh start and a new primary voice that has zero ties to last year’s debacle.

Aside from Eberflus, only three of his assistants have more than 10 years of coaching experience. Out of the three, Andre Curtis and Aaron Whitecotton have never been a defensive coordinator. Dave Borgonzi hasn’t either and has worked under Eberflus since 2018. The remaining staff have, on average, three years of NFL coaching experience. The Cowboys have championship aspirations, and their quarterback, Dak Prescott, had arguably one of the best years of his career. You cannot tether any more of his prime years to a defense led by inexperience.

The second thing, you cannot continue the philosophy of Eberflus in his replacement. You cannot have a coordinator so wedded to static defenses, and playing as much zone as he did last season. The Cowboys were middle of the road in blitz rate after ramping that part of their defense up after the results were poor early, but it resulted in an expected points of -210.14, the lowest in the NFL. The next coordinator the Cowboys hire has to be more creative with the blitz, among other things, and free guys up to cause havoc for the opposing quarterback. Also, you need a coordinator who will elevate the players on the roster and develop them, specifically along the defensive line. The edge rushers hit a wall, and some players that were being counted on to take jumps in their progression stagnated. You need somebody who will get the most out of them to make them successful.

Which also brings up the topic of the cornerbacks. The Cowboys are going to have to reset their cornerback room. DaRon Bland underwent yet another surgery on his foot, Trevon Diggs is now with the Green Bay Packers, and Shavon Revel had a rough rookie season. Kaiir Elam, who was cut before Thanksgiving, and Reddy Steward played more than 40 percent of the defensive snaps. The Cowboys need more talent at that position, and finding corners that can thrive on an island should be their priority.

Now, on to the two candidates that make sense, and should be attainable for Dallas

Don Martindale

Let’s start with Don Martindale. The first name that Dallas fans have been gravitating to is Brian Flores, currently with the Minnesota Vikings, and with good reason. He has a championship pedigree from his time with the New England Patriots and philosophically is the antithesis of Matt Eberflus. However, Flores will garner a lot of attention in the coaching carousel and is already being linked to the head coaching search of the Las Vegas Raiders, spearheaded by none other than Tom Brady, who has a previous relationship with Flores.

That said, Martindale has similar tendencies to Flores and should be attainable for Dallas. He’ll remedy the pass rush and create exotic ways to get to the quarterback with more regularity. Pre-snap, you’ll see a lot more varied looks to confuse opposing passers into making mistakes. He will also develop a relationship with his players. As we saw with the departed Diggs, Eberflus didn’t connect with his personnel, and that fissure showed up on the field as many players were unsure of their assignments in the secondary. Martindale will fix that and bridge the gap in communication with his talent to make them more cohesive on the field.

Jim Schwartz

Next, we have Jim Schwartz. What makes Schwartz an ideal choice is that he has the experience to lead a capable defense. Schwartz has held the title of defensive coordinator in the NFL for 17 seasons. Hiring him would also be a major boon for the development of Donovan Ezeiruaku and James Houston, who the Cowboys are counting on to take a leap next season. Myles Garrett just broke the NFL sack record with Schwartz as his coordinator. He should be able to help Houston and Ezeiruaku. He also has a prior relationship with Jadeveon Clowney, who has expressed interest in returning to Dallas in 2026. Schwartz will implement a Wide 9 to allow his edge rushers to keep containment and work downstream, and you’ll see more twists and games along the defensive line to create confusion to opposing offensive lines.

Schwartz is also known to be more varied with his defense depending on his opponent that week. This would contrast with Eberflus’ seemingly rigid approach to each week.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...tor-new-direction-don-martindale-jim-schwartz

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Report: Former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett to interview for Titans job

The NFL coaching cycle is rocking and rolling and Tuesday evening saw it take an even more eventful turn as the Baltimore Ravens fired John Harbaugh. Pretty wild stuff.

Way back in the middle of the season, the Tennessee Titans became the first team to be in the market for a head coach this cycle as they fired Brian Callahan. There has been word that Tennessee could look to hire former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, but as of this writing he has not officially been named as an interviewee (our friends at Music City Miracles are tracking their whole search).

One former Cowboys coach did emerge as someone who will interview and it was not McCarthy. ESPN reported on Tuesday evening that Jason Garrett is set to interview for the job.

Sources: Former Cowboys HC and NBC analyst Jason Garrett is interviewing Friday for the Titans head coaching job. pic.twitter.com/7mAWFJMLfB

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2026

Garrett has been a part of NBC’s television coverage of the NFL in recent years and hasn’t coached since he was the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants during the 2020 season, the first after Dallas moved on from him. He notably spent almost a decade as the Cowboys head coach and over a decade with the organization overall from a coaching perspective (he played for the team as well).

The Cowboys host the Titans in 2026 so would face Garrett if he got the job.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...5/former-coach-jason-garrett-interview-titans

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Giants interviewing Cowboys’ ex Mike McCarthy for head coach

Mike McCarthy could be on his way back to the NFC East. The former Cowboys head coach is reportedly among those being interviewed for the New York Giants’ vacancy in 2026.

After a five-year run in Dallas from 2020-2024, McCarthy was not brought back following a disappointing 7-10 season. While his Cowboys went 12-5 the three years before that, repeated failures to advance in the playoffs, or even look competitive at times, had him on thin ice going into 2024. After not getting a new contract from the Cowboys, McCarthy was not employed by any other team last year.

The Giants are scheduled to interview Super Bowl-winning coach Mike McCarthy for their head coaching job Tuesday, per sources.

McCarthy has a .608 career winning percentage, 12 playoff trips in 18 seasons and a strong QB development background. A logical fit with Jaxson Dart. pic.twitter.com/1ygWwnm1ST

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 7, 2026

Of course, McCarthy’s real claim to fame is from his time with Green Bay from 2006-2018. In 12 full seasons, McCarthy’s Packers won six division titles, had nine playoff appearances, and won the 2010 Super Bowl. It was those accolades that brought him to the Cowboys after the firing of Jason Garrett, with the hope that McCarthy would be the missing ingredient to get the team over the hump.

It’s not that surprising that the Giants would have interest. After their long run with Tom Coughlin ended in 2015, they’ve gone through five different head coaches with a mix of experience levels. But even of the ones who’d been held that job before like Pat Shurmur and Steve Spagnuolo, none ever had the résumé of a guy like McCarthy.

What’s more, during his time in Dallas, McCarthy went 9-1 against the Giants. The one loss came in the 2020 finale, with Dak Prescott on IR and the six-win Cowboys still somehow in contention in what was a putrid NFC East that year. New York’s victory denied Dallas another division win and a playoff berth. But outside of that, McCarthy’s Cowboys dominated the Giants throughout his tenure.

With former Ravens HC John Harbaugh also reported to be a target for New York, Mike McCarthy may not be first on their list. But if they can’t land the new big fish of this coaching talent pool, the Giants may see McCarthy as the next-best option to bring some stability and credibility to their coaching staff. And if he’s extra motivated to stick it to the Cowboys, that won’t hurt his chances.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...ants-interviewing-ex-mike-mccarthy-head-coach

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys roster news: Team has begun contract talks with RB Javonte Williams

The Dallas Cowboys held a press conference to close out the 2025 season on Wednesday and in it touched on a variety of things relative to the offseason and all of the work that will need to take place.

A popular topic in the offseason will be re-signing certain players and one who a lot of people are banging the table for is running back Javonte Williams. While the Cowboys’ season was disappointing one of its brighter points was how Williams ran the ball, and he did so in his first year with the team after signing a one-year deal.

This means that Williams is set to be a free agent.

Cowboys EVP Stephen Jones said the team has already been in contact with the representation of RB Javonte Williams about re-signing him to a multi-year deal.

Williams set a career high with 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first season in Dallas.

— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) January 7, 2026

Williams had a very productive season for the Cowboys as noted, and it would make a lot of sense to bring him back, obviously if the price is right and things make sense. George Pickens and Brandon Aubrey are also players who the Cowboys will need to prioritize and they have mentioned Jadeveon Clowney a lot as well.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...vonte-williams-contract-negotiations-starting

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Brian Schottenheimer seemed to describe one specific Cowboys DC candidate

The Dallas Cowboys spoke to the media on Wednesday for the first time since firing Matt Eberflus. Jerry Jones was his usual self, but Brian Schottenheimer offered some clarity on what he’s looking for in his next defensive coordinator.

Schotty on the primary tenet he's looking for in the next #Cowboys defensive coordinator:

"we wanna find someone who's a great teacher and a great communicator … who's passionate about football, and who can take complicated information and [have the ability] to communicate… pic.twitter.com/jEYdVhZbq9

— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) January 7, 2026

Does that sound like generic coachspeak? Sure. Schottenheimer made sure to throw in several buzzwords, staying away from making any declarations about scheme and instead focusing on soft skills. Given the issues Eberflus had in implementing his scheme, which has seen success elsewhere, that makes sense.

It also perfectly describes at least one coach who’s been floated by many (including yours truly) as a candidate.

Jim Leonhard has been the pass game coordinator for the Broncos over the last two years, during which time Denver is second in EPA/dropback and first in success rate against the pass. He was a longtime coach at his alma mater, Wisconsin, starting his career there as a defensive backs coach before rising to defensive coordinator and, later, interim head coach.

Leonhard also played three seasons for the Jets under Rex Ryan, and Schottenheimer was the offensive coordinator for all three seasons. Surely Schottenheimer is familiar with the type of leader and teacher that Leonhard is.

For those who aren’t, though, know this: Leonhard is renowned for his defensive prowess. Not only is he an X’s and O’s wizard – playing for Rex Ryan and starting your coaching career under Justin Wilcox and Dave Aranda will do that – but Leonhard has drawn rave reviews everywhere he’s been for the way he teaches his players.

When Leonhard was passed over for the full-time head job at Wisconsin, he spent a year as an analyst at Illinois, working for former Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema. At the time of his addition, Bielema had this to say about Leonhard:

“I know this from recruiting against him that he’s obviously a guy who has the ability to connect with players. It doesn’t matter [if it’s] defensive backs, wideouts, running backs, defensive linemen, linebackers, he’s… very, very good at player communication. He’s his own man. I don’t think he does anything different than the things he believes in.”

An insightful profile on Leonhard from ESPN’s Jesse Temple came up in 2017, right before his first season as the Wisconsin defensive coordinator. And some of the bits from it are very telling on Leonhard, even when he was just 34 years old and running a defense for the first time:

During the Badgers’ campaign, I had the opportunity to watch Leonhard at work during a 45-minute team meeting with his unit that showcased his vast football acumen as he prepared Wisconsin’s defensive backs for a game against second-ranked Ohio State. Leonhard masterfully weaved through Wisconsin’s defensive calls and what each player’s responsibility would be in a given look. He drew Ohio State’s route concepts on the whiteboard and explained when Wisconsin should play Cover 4 or Cover 3 defense. He broke down the role his players would be required to fulfill if Ohio State were to run a corner route or if the quarterback should run an option.

Leonhard also spent 20 minutes with a clicker and laser pointer, highlighting the routes each receiver and tight end might run. He was not afraid to gather input from veteran defensive leaders Sojourn Shelton and D’Cota Dixon on how to combat particular reads. He looked as though he had been coaching for years.

Leonhard’s home-state roots, capacity to teach and communicate and develop relationships makes him the total package for Wisconsin. And he doesn’t have to follow anybody else’s coaching blueprint to show he’s ready for the task at hand.

Even from the beginning of his coaching career, Leonhard has had a knack for communication and teaching. His mastery of the game is rooted in his own confidence, yet Leonhard’s willingness to solicit feedback from his players reflects a nuance many coaches take years to figure out.

Maybe it’s all the time he spent playing, starting out as a walk-on at Wisconsin and going from undrafted to a starter for a Jets defense that nearly reached the Super Bowl in consecutive seasons. In a profile from The Athletic during his run as Wisconsin’s interim head coach, Leonhard had a fascinating take on how he views his playing days now that he’s a coach:

“It’s fun to reminisce on it a little bit,” Leonhard says of utilizing his credentials with today’s players, “but I really try to get more of a point across than just: Hey, I did this or I did that.

“It’s the mindset. Now it’s: How do we get you there? That’s what I’m back doing. I love teaching football and to me, that’s coaching.”

According to those who have watched Leonhard the most over the years, he sounds to be exactly what Schottenheimer is describing. Given the familiarity these two have, that can’t be a coincidence.

"Coaching is teaching. The best teachers are efficient with their words.

I put a lot of thought into making complex concepts as simple as possible.

The more players have to think, the slower they play.

Make it simple, efficient, & fun so guys can play fast."

– Jim Leonhard pic.twitter.com/2V6zbTQpu1

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) January 7, 2026

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...to-describe-one-specific-cowboys-dc-candidate

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys request to interview fan favorite for defensive coordinator

The Dallas Cowboys have started their search for a new defensive coordinator. Todd Archer of ESPN released a list of the team’s initial requests to interview three candidates. The names included are Minnesota Vikings pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Cleveland Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, and Denver Broncos assistant HC/pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard.

Out of the three names, Leonhard has emerged as a fan favorite to be the Cowboys’ play-caller on defense. Leonhard is someone head coach Brian Schottenheimer is familiar with, having spent three years together with the New York Jets from 2009-2011, when Schottenheimer was the offensive coordinator, and Leonhard was the strong safety.

During Wednesday’s end-of-season press conference, Schotty was asked about his thoughts on the Broncos assistant head coach and if they’ve stayed in touch at all throughout the years.

I saw Jim before we played Denver. Jim’s a heck of football coach. You talk about a great football player, man. We had some great years together in New York. Again, I would not say we’ve stayed in touch. This business is hard. You get going a million miles [an hour]. You gotta speak to what Sean [Payton] and what that entire staff has done there. Vance Joseph is a guy I have a ton of respect for. Jim’s an excellent coach.

Calm, cool, and collected like someone who is trying not to tip their hand on what direction they might want to go. If the Cowboys go with someone like Leonhard, it will break the seemingly prerequisite that every defensive coordinator must have prior head-coaching experience. Dating all the way back to 2014 with Rod Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer, and recently with Matt Eberflus.

On Wednesday, during the same press conference, owner and general manager Jerry Jones dismissed the notion that having prior head coaching experience or being a play-caller is a must in their search for a new coach. That opens up the door for Leonhard, who isn’t as wet behind the ears as some may think.

Before joining the Broncos coaching staff in 2024, Leonhard spent six seasons at the collegiate level as a defensive coordinator with the Wisconsin Badgers and served as the team’s interim head coach at the end of the 2022 season, when the team went 4-3. At Wisconsin, Leonhard’s defense ranked first among all Power-5 teams in first downs per game (15.4), third-down percentage (30.8), and yards per game (288.0) from 2017-22.

He took a year off from having a major coaching role and became a senior football analyst for the University of Illinois. Not because he wanted to step back from responsibilities, but because he was having hip surgery and still wanted to be involved in coaching. Broncos head coach Sean Payton would have hired him that season if it weren’t for the surgery.

Even though prior NFL experience isn’t required for Dallas, what seems to be a necessity for Schottenheimer is someone who’s a great teacher and communicator. Leonhard believes that both of those qualities are important to him as a coach. Our own David Howman covered this aspect of Leonhard in a very recent article that really delves into that aspect of Leonhard’s coaching personality.

One caveat in all of this is that if the Broncos’ current defensive coordinator, Vance Joseph, gets a head coaching opportunity and leaves Denver, Leonhard could be next in line as his heir apparent, depending on whether he wants to stay with the team. Payton seems very fond of his assistant head coach.

Whether Leonhard lands in Dallas or not, it’s nice to see that not only are they willing to look under every rock, but are willing to step out of their comfort zone and potentially hire someone who could be a great coach just needing a chance to prove themselves—kind of like who they have steering the ship in Schottenheimer.

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...fensive-coordinator-fan-favorite-jim-leonhard

 

[Dallas Cowboys]

Cowboys news: The first batch of names for the Cowboys DC search emerge

Cowboys schedule first three interviews for open defensive coordinator position – Nick Harris, Star-Telegram​

The search begins.

The Dallas Cowboys have requested to interview three candidates for their defensive coordinator opening, according to a report from ESPN’s Todd Archer. The Cowboys are in line to speak with Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones and Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda. The team also requested to speak with Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, but that request was denied by Atlanta as the franchise seeks a new head coach that could retain Ulbrich on staff.

Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator tracker: Names, rumors, news – RJ Ochoa, Blogging the Boys​

Keep track of all things regarding the Cowboys defensive coordinator search here.

It is going to be interesting to see how this shakes out. Brian Schottenheimer will likely want to find someone to serve as a point of stability for obvious reasons, but the defense has been so bad lately that the Cowboys can not exactly afford to be picky. Simply put, it is a hire that the organization must get right.

Jerry Jones was perceived to have had a big influence on Matt Eberflus being hired, we’ll see if he goes back to someone he knows, or tries something new. The Cowboys obviously have their own unique way of doing things.

This post will serve as our tracker for all rumors, news, and overall information related to the search.

Dan Quinn is once again trying to sabotage the Dallas Cowboys – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports​

Lunda Wells is getting an offensive coordinator interview with a familiar friend.

Quinn requests permission to speak to Wells

In 2024, the Cowboys blocked Quinn from interviewing Wells. Then, Quinn was interested in Wells for the Commanders’ offensive line coach vacancy. The Cowboys also blocked Quinn from interviewing then DB coach Al Harris.

Now, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer, Quinn is requesting to interview Wells once again, only this time for the Commanders’ offensive coordinator role. Wells is expected to take the interview, as it would be a promotion for him.

As Archer pointed out in his report, Wells carries a lot of weight on the Cowboys’ game plans. He’s also responsible for Dalton Schultz’s and Jake Ferguson’s development. The former had his best seasons in Dallas upon Wells’ arrival in 2020 with Mike McCarthy. Losing him would be a significant blow to Brian Schottenheimer’s staff.

Wells is expected to go up against some top-notch competition for the Commanders’ OC vacancy, however. With the likes of Mike McDaniel available, expect Washington to take big swings to replace for Kliff Kingsbury ahead of what will be a pivotal year for quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Oklahoma to hire longtime Dallas Cowboys star Jason Witten as tight ends coach – Nick Bromberg, Yahoo Sports​

Jason Witten is set to join the Oklahoma Sooners coaching staff.

Oklahoma’s new tight ends coach is a Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist.

The Sooners are set to add former Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten to their coaching staff, according to On3. Witten’s hire comes as his son, Cooper Witten, is the No. 1 linebacker in the country and a five-star recruit in the high school class of 2027.

According to Rivals, Cooper Witten is the No. 19 player in the country and the No. 4 player in Texas. The Sooners were a top contender in his recruitment before Jason Witten was added to the coaching staff. Now, Rivals’ Sam Spiegelman and Steve Wiltfong have said they believe that Cooper Witten will play for Oklahoma.

Jason Witten, 43, played in the NFL from 2003 through 2017 for the Dallas Cowboys. He came back for the 2019 season with the Cowboys, too, and then played for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020. In between, he served as the lead analyst for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” in 2018.

New 2026 Dallas Cowboys NFL mock draft adds 2 star defensive tone-setters – Josh Sanchez, SI.com​

The Cowboys add two difference makers on defense in this mock draft.

The Dallas Cowboys are preparing for a complete overhaul on the defensive side of the ball entering the NFL offseason, beginning with the search for a new defensive coordinator.

Once a new man is tasked with rebuilding the team’s putrid defense, it can begin turning to players who are solid fits to the scheme he has in mind.

For Dallas, there will be plenty of opportunities to improve the roster, beginning with free agency and the NFL Draft. Of course, with Jerry Jones at the helm, you can never rule out a flashy trade.

In a new 2026 mock draft from Danny Kelly of The Athletic, the Cowboys get to work at making immediate improvements, double-dipping on the defensive side of the ball with two of the team’s biggest areas of need.

Jerry Jones: Cowboys incentivized to ‘bust the budget’ in offseason – Tommy Yarrish​

We have heard this before, but we will see if this offseason is different.

FRISCO, Texas – With a 7-9-1 season in the rear-view mirror, the Cowboys head to the offseason with plenty of areas to address.

From needing a new defensive coordinator to defensive personnel changes, Dallas realizes that they have a lot of work to do in front of them. And Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones’ sense of urgency is high to compete.

“We want to, while Dak [Prescott] is playing the game and got it down the way he’s got it, we want to get out here and do better than what we did this year,” Jones said. “So a combination of those things give us the incentive to, dare I say it, bust the budget to try to get something down now, yes. We’ll do some dramatic things.”

When it’s all said and done, Jones’ goal at the end of his career is to be the winningest owner in NFL history.

“My goal in life is to retire as the owner that won the most Super Bowls,” Jones said. “That’s my goal. To be retired in the NFL as the owner that won the most Super Bowls. We’ve got three… I’ve got work to do.”

The first portion of that work will come in free agency, which officially begins on March 11. How active does Jones see the Cowboys being once it rolls around?

Source: https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/dal...tch-of-names-for-the-cowboys-dc-search-emerge