Multiple Dallas Cowboys assistants have been linked to other jobs
The coaching carousel never stops in the NFL, and the Dallas Cowboys know that as much as any franchise in the league. Dallas made a firing and a hiring at the defensive coordinator position, while seeing their offensive coordinator be contacted for different head coaching vacancies. Dallas moved on from defensive coordinator Mike Nolan in […]
The coaching carousel never stops in the NFL, and the Dallas Cowboys know that as much as any franchise in the league. Dallas made a firing and a hiring at the defensive coordinator position, while seeing their offensive coordinator be contacted for different head coaching vacancies.
Dallas moved on from defensive coordinator Mike Nolan in favor of former Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn in hopes of improving that side of the ball in 2021. Meanwhile, Kellen Moore has or had been in the mix for the head coaching openings at Boise State and the Philadelphia Eagles. Moore ultimately pulled his name out of consideration for the job at his alma mater, but he still appears to be in consideration for the Eagles.
When it started to look like things were starting to slow down, more coaching news regarding the Cowboys surfaced. Both the Chicago Bears and the Philadelphia Eagles are interested in talking with assistants on the Dallas staff.
Bears requested to speak with Cowboys defensive assistant.
The Chicago Bears recently made the decision to run things back with head coach Matt Nagy and general manager Ryan Pace after earning a playoff berth in the 2020 postseason. However, Bears defensive coordinator and former Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano announced his retirement.
With that important position now void, the Bears are reaching out to a handful of different candidates to lead a unit headlined by Khalil Mack and Eddie Jackson. Among those reported candidates is Cowboys senior defensive assistant George Edwards.
Edwards held the defensive coordinator title for the Minnesota Vikings from 2014 to 2019, matching up against Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy in the AFC North. Edwards was a candidate to lead the defense in Dallas before the team chose Quinn. The expectation was that Edwards would be on staff with the Cowboys in 2021, but that now looks to be in jeopardy.
If offered the job, Edwards would have the opportunity to take over a defense loaded with talent at all levels and return to the division that he is very familiar with. The Cowboys are certainly hoping that things work out in a way that allows them to keep the veteran coach on staff to work with Quinn.
Eagles reportedly interesting in talking to another Cowboys coach.
As mentioned above, the Eagles have already requested to speak with Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. That does make sense, as Moore is viewed as a smart, innovative offensive mind and the Eagles have played against Moore's offense four times since he took over the offensive coordinator role in Dallas back in 2019.
In a bit more interesting news, the Eagles are also interested in interviewing a different member of the Cowboys coaching staff: special teams coach John Fassel. The report came from the Philadelphia's Inquirer's Marcus Hayes:
Fassel was regarded as the best special teams coach in the NFL when the Dallas Cowboys hired him from the Los Angeles Rams shortly after Mike McCarthy was hired to lead the team. Fassel's special teams units have always been among the best in the league, and he is not afraid to implement a trick play or two:
It seems unlikely that the Eagles do hire the 47-year-old and former interim head coach of the Rams, but we have seen teams hire special teams coaches to run the show.
John Harbaugh was the special teams coach for Philadelphia before the Baltimore Ravens hired him to take over as their head coach, while Joe Judge was the special teams coach for the New England Patriots before receiving the New York Giants' job.
The fact that multiple coaches on the Dallas Cowboys staff are receiving interviews from different teams is a big deal. All three — Moore, Edwards, and Fassel — are in consideration to move up the coaching ladder, and it speaks to how the league apparently views McCarthy's staff.
It would be huge for the Cowboys to hang on to all three for the 2021 season, but even retaining two would be a win for the organization. There will be a lot of optimism surrounding the Cowboys next season, especially with Dak Prescott returning to the fold.
UPDATE:
Kellen Moore will be interviewing with the Philadelphia Eagles today, January 19th, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero:
Featured image via USA TODAY Sports Handout photo
