Cowboys kick-off coaching search with a head-scratcher
The Dallas Cowboys' search for an offensive coordinator job is officially underway. On Tuesday, the first interviewee to replace Kellen Moore was reported. And it's a head-scratcher. Per Joe Person from The Athletic, the Cowboys are set to interview Carolina Panthers assistant head coach Jeff Nixon on Wednesday. Nixon was also the team's running back coach. […]
The Dallas Cowboys' search for an offensive coordinator job is officially underway. On Tuesday, the first interviewee to replace Kellen Moore was reported.
And it's a head-scratcher.
Per Joe Person from The Athletic, the Cowboys are set to interview Carolina Panthers assistant head coach Jeff Nixon on Wednesday. Nixon was also the team's running back coach.
After the Panthers fired OC Joe Brady, Nixon called plays for what was then Matt Rhule's team. Nixon was also Rhule's co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at Baylor from 2017-2019.
Not many people had brought up Nixon's name as an offensive coordinator for the Cowboys but it's worth pointing out that two NFL teams had already interviewed Nixon.
The 48-year-old coach led a rushing offense that made the Panthers unexpectedly relevant in 2022. Even after trading away Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers' revamped rushing offense finished the year as the eighth-best in EPA/play.
However, it's tough to envision the Cowboys moving on from Moore's offense for Nixon. After all, the former Cowboy led one of the most productive units in the league during his four-year run as OC.
One would've assumed the Cowboys have two more likely ways to go about things. 1) Get someone who can help Mike McCarthy install his version of the West Coast offense or 2) Get a rising coach from around the league, perhaps one with the trending Shanahan roots or someone like Bills QB coach Joe Brady.
Nixon certainly would be a wild card.
This marks the beginning of what should be an intriguing OC search in Dallas. The Cowboys can go a variety of ways after moving on from Kellen Moore but the bar has been set high.
Whoever the Cowboys ultimately bring in will be playing a high-stakes game in which the goal is to succeed in the playoffs.
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Featured image via Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
