There may be some vacancies in the Cowboys coaching staff after the season. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus has been on a hot seat practically the whole season and even special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen is coming under increased scrutiny.
The Cowboys have not been averse to bringing back coaches that have coached in Dallas before. Matt Eberflus (DAL 2011-17) is just the most recent example, but before him Mike Zimmer (DAL 1994-2006) was brought back for a one-year stint in 2024, Aden Durde was a coaching intern from 2014-2015 before coming back as a defensive line coach from 2021-2023, Dave Campo worked his way up from defensive assistant all the way to head coach (DAL 1989-2002) before coming back for a stint as defensive backs coach (DAL 2008-2011), George Edwards was the linebackers coach from 1998-2001 before coming back for a three-year stretch as senior defensive assistant two decades later (DAL 2020-22). And you’d better believe the Cowboys would have brought back Sean Payton (DAL 2003-05) if that had been at all possible at any point.
Could the Cowboys go down a similar route, opting for the familiar over the unknown, as they look at their potential opening at defensive coordinator?
A lot of that will depend on how things ended in Dallas the first time. Was the first split amicable or contentious? With that in mind and knowing that we’re not always privy to the inner workings of the hiring/firing process, here are some candidates the Cowboys might consider bringing back.
Aden Durde. Durde is making waves as the defensive coordinator in Seattle, and he’s already being mentioned as a potential head coach candidate. That move might be a bit early for him, but would a lateral move back to Dallas be of any interest for Durde? Probably not, but he would be an excellent get for the Cowboys.
Al Harris. Harris is the defensive backs coach & defensive pass game coordinator in Chicago, and his team is leading the league in interceptions. He was already turned down as the DC in Dallas last year, that doesn’t improve the Cowboys chances of getting him back.
Joe Whitt. Whitt came in with Dan Quinn from 2021-23 as the passing game coordinator, but chose to follow Quinn to Washington in 2024 as defensive coordinator. Whitt was recently stripped of his play-calling duties and will likely be available after the season, but his résumé in Washington does not make a lateral move to another DC position likely.
Mike Zimmer. Third time’s a charm? Probably not for Zimmer. Word on the Dallas streets is that the split last year was not amicable, Zimmer was eyeing the vacant head coach position, the Cowboys didn’t even see him as a DC candidate.
Dan Quinn. I’m putting Quinn in as an honorable mention, even if there’s zero chance he comes back to Dallas next year. He’ll remain the head coach in Washington for at least one more year.
Let us know in the comments if you’d like one of these former Cowboys coaches back, whether you’d give Eberflus one more year, or whether you want the Cowboys to look outside as they potentially look for their fourth defensive coordinator in four years.
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