There’s no question who the Cowboys should be rooting for in NFL’s Conference Championship Game weekend
Who the Dallas Cowboys should be rooting for in the AFC Championship Game.
The Dallas Cowboys wish they were playing in the NFC Championship Game this weekend. But with one of the worst defenses in the game in 2025, breaking a 30-year drought without playing in the conference title game was always going to be a long-shot.
But that doesn’t mean fans don’t have a specific outcome to root for on Sunday, and it’s one that could help fix the Cowboys defense to maybe, just maybe, be playing for a ticket to Super Bowl LXI a year from now. As the front office continues its search for a new defensive coordinator, one outcome could bring clarity and urgency to a process that is moving at a slow pace so far.
Cowboys could benefit from Broncos loss
I know many NFL fans don’t want the New England Patriots to advance because of jealousy (They haven’t waited for their turn long enough!) and whatnot, and I get it. But the Cowboys’ search for a defensive coordinator could get much clearer with a Broncos’ loss, as it would allow teams to hire Denver Broncos pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard, who is expected to be a strong candidate for the Cowboys.
The Cowboys already interviewed Leonhard, who is one of the biggest rising stars in coaching around the NFL. With six years as defensive coordinator at Wisconsin and a couple more spearheading the Broncos’ passing defense under Vance Joseph, Leonhard’s resume makes him an unproven coordinator worth betting on.
The Broncos are 4.5-point underdogs heading into Sunday, as starting quarterback Bo Nix is out with an ankle injury.
In the meantime, the Cowboys have to make a decision. Do they risk waiting for Leonhard to become available or do they secure one of their known finalists instead?
Leonhard expected to receive plenty of interest
Assuming the Cowboys are willing to wait, they won’t be the only team waiting to reach out to Leonhard. The New York Giants are expected to target Leonhard and with many head coaching vacancies yet to be filled, expect other teams to target him as well.
For now, the Cowboys are finalizing their known in-person interviews on Wednesday when they host Philadelphia Eagles pass game coordinator Christian Parker. They’ve already hosted Daronte Jones (Minnesota Vikings pass game coordinator) and Jonathan Gannon (former Arizona Cardinals head coach).
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