Potential Cowboys’ defensive coordinator search gets more intriguing before it even begins

The Dallas Cowboys are not rushing their decision on Matt Eberflus. And it could cost them.

Mauricio Rodriguez — Dallas Cowboys News Writer
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Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on the sideline during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium.
Sep 14, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on the sideline during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

According to Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, he is in no rush to make major decisions, which includes determining the future of defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who is considered to be in the hot seat at the end of the 2025 regular season.

But the NFL world waits for no one. Before the Cowboys even announce a decision on Eberflus’ fate, the team’s potential search for a new defensive coordinator has already gotten more intriguing as multiple defensive-minded coaches become available. And yet, Schottenheimer and staff will prioritize players’ exit interviews ahead of the 2026 offseason.

“I don’t think you rush into any of these decisions,” Schottenheimer said Sunday. “You’ve got to go through the process, and you’ve got to do the work. And the work is not easy. The work is tedious. We’re going to be working just as hard over this week and the next 10 to 12 days to get through all that stuff, just so we feel good about everything.”

Cowboys must hurry

While being thorough is a good trait to have when leading a pro football team, waiting 10 to 12 days to make a change at the coordinator level is tough to get away with. The NFL world moves fast.

As of this writing, multiple head coaches have been fired by their teams, including defensive-minded coaches that should be on Dallas’ radar. Considering that every coach who hits the market could be part of somebody else’s plan, as teams scramble to put staffs together as quickly as possible, falling behind in the “process” could harm the team’s plans for 2026.

In fact, it’s exactly this fast-moving coaching cycle that makes the Cowboys’ potential search for a new DC more intriguing before it even begins.

NFL’s Black Monday opens up several scenarios for the Cowboys:

  • Cardinals fire HC Jonathan Gannon: Despite Gannon’s struggles as head coach, his defenses are respected around the league, thanks to a heavy dose of deception and versatility. Gannon helped the Eagles become Super Bowl contenders as DC, and his hybrid formations could help the Cowboys modernize their defense.
  • Falcons fire HC Raheem Morris: Similar to Gannon, Morris couldn’t make it work as HC. But he’s a Super Bowl-winning DC, and he’s known for his player development. His coaching background is very diverse, and his defense in Atlanta vastly improved from Year 1 to Year 2 despite the team’s issues that led to his firing.
  • Browns fire HC Kevin Stefanski, freeing DC Jim Schwartz: With Stefanski out in Cleveland, the Cowboys could target Schwartz for their DC job. He’s one of the best defensive minds in football, and he’ll be highly coveted after leading a top-of-the-line Browns defense.

All of the names above are probably already getting phone calls. Thoroughness is fine, but not at the expense of missing out on solid opportunities. The clock is ticking for the Cowboys.

And yet, this is the franchise that waited a full week in January 2023 before parting ways with OC Kellen Moore. Could a similar wait be ahead for the Cowboys? If they want to prove they’re serious about making changes, it shouldn’t take a long time.

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