The Dallas Cowboys might have tipped their hand on the future of struggling DC Matt Eberflus
The future of the Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator is becoming clearer.
The Dallas Cowboys are making changes to their defense amid a horrendous nine-game run to start the 2025 NFL season. As I type this, they already traded for linebacker Logan Wilson and are working on more potential deals ahead of the deadline, despite a 3-5-1 record.
But will the changes extend beyond personnel and into the coaching staff? Many have speculated about the job security of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who has struggled to get his defense on the right track. Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones even had to field questions about Eberflus Monday night following his team’s 27-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, but declined to offer a concrete answer.
Jones, however, provided a telling quote on Tuesday that might have tipped his hand on the Cowboys’ plans for Eberflus’ future. And fans frustrated with the defensive coach won’t like it.
Jones claims Cowboys’ lack of continuity at DC is a problem
In the aftermath of a loss that pushed the Cowboys’ playoff chances from 17.3% to 6.9%, per FTN‘s advanced metrics, Jones talked about his own shortcomings running the team being palpable in the defense’s performance. Notably, he made it more about his management of the defensive coordinator position than the talent on the roster.
“I’ve errored over the last three years with the changing of defensive coordinators or defensive philosophies or the adjustments there,” Jones said during an interview on 105.3 The Fan. “When I look back, if I see one thing that I had to do over again, I would’ve tried to not change out our coordinator every year over the last three years. Continuity, I know better.”
The comment has obvious implications. Firing Eberflus midseason or even at the end of the year would mean a fourth defensive coordinator in a four-year span. It sure sounds like Jones doesn’t want to go down that path. For better or worse, his message bodes well for the defensive coach. So does the Cowboys’ decision-making at the trade deadline. Wilson is a good fit for Eberflus’ scheme, which prioritizes quality run fitting from the linebackers. Dallas has missed that in 2025.
While Jones’ point has some merit, it’s also clear that a team shouldn’t make decisions on a coach based on previous decisions. Needing continuity shouldn’t mean keeping a DC exclusively because of it. We’ll see how things play out.
Right now, it’s starting to look like the Cowboys are building the right defense for Eberflus, though.
This story was originally published in A to Z Sports Dallas Cowboys, as The Dallas Cowboys might have tipped their hand on the future of struggling DC Matt Eberflus.
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