Dallas Cowboys likely to reunite with familiar face following Brian Schottenheimer's hire and it's not Jason Witten
The Dallas Cowboys announced Brian Schottenheimer will be the tenth head coach of the franchise on Friday evening and we have a pretty good idea who will be his defensive coordinator. Though Mike Zimmer's defense improved as the season progressed in 2024, he's out of the picture while considering all options, including retirement. But who will […]
The Dallas Cowboys announced Brian Schottenheimer will be the tenth head coach of the franchise on Friday evening and we have a pretty good idea who will be his defensive coordinator.
Though Mike Zimmer's defense improved as the season progressed in 2024, he's out of the picture while considering all options, including retirement. But who will replace him? Expect it to be a familiar face.
Per ESPN's Ed Werder, "The Cowboys have hired Matt Eberflus as their defensive coordinator on new HC Brian Schottenheimer’s staff." Later, Werder corrected and indicated the team still needed to go through interviews per NFL rules.
Familiarity is there for Eberflus and the Cowboys, as he was an assistant on the team's staff between 2011 and 2017. Back then, Eberflus was a linebackers coach and was perceived as an up-and-coming coach, becoming passing game coordinator in his last couple of years in Dallas. He later made the jump to defensive coordinator in Indianapolis.
Most recently, Eberflus was head coach of the Chicago Bears, continuing a sequence of the Cowboys targeting former head coaches to be defensive coordinator. That includes Zimmer and Dan Quinn before him.
Though Eberflus' leadership and time management skills were questioned at the end of his tenure in Chicago, his defense was performing at a high level with the Bears. In Dallas, the most important aspect of his job would be weaponizing Micah Parsons at defensive end.
One thing is for sure: Eberflus' defense is different than Zimmer's, which can be exotic at times. For the most part, his defense is much more static but it makes up for it with discipline and attention to detail. You can also expect fewer blitzes from the Cowboys, though Eberflus might adapt to his personnel in Dallas.
The unit in Chicago quickly worsened after Eberflus' departure in 2024.
