The recent history of the Cowboys and their defensive coordinators has been spotty at best. The team was solid for three seasons under Dan Quinn, finishing seventh in points allowed in his first year followed by two fifth-place finishes in that category in his last two years. But Quinn left to coach the Commanders, and Mike Zimmer was a disaster as a replacement in 2024. Now, it’s Matt Eberflus, and with 78 points allowed in the last two weeks, it’s fair to label Eberflus a disaster, too.
No team likes to have a churn at key coordinator positions, but there is an increasing sense that the poor play of the Cowboys defense this season will make it impossible for the team to bring back Eberflus in 2026, even if that means a fourth defensive coordinator in four years.
Matt Eberflus’ Future With the Cowboys in Doubt
After the Cowboys’ loss to Minnesota at home on Sunday night, team owner Jerry Jones sounded as open as he has been all season to moving on from Eberflus next year. Jones defended Eberflus repeatedly throughout the early part of the year, when the Cowboys’ defense was struggling, but his tone now is different.
“The adjustments that we should be making (defensively) should be with these next three games in mind,” Jones said, via The Athletic. “With three games left in the short time that we’ve got to play them in, then that will impact any adjustments that you make regarding coaching with the time frame we’re dealing with. That’s a legit question.”
Cowboys Defense Underwent Big Changes
It does not take much reading of tea leaves to see why Jones’ viewpoint on the defense and Eberflus’s future may have changed. Just before the start of the year, Jones traded away Micah Parsons to the Packers, getting back to first-round picks and defensive lineman Kenny Clark. That upheaval was on Jones, not Eberflus.
But at the trade deadline, the Cowboys added star lineman Quinnen Williams and linebacker Logan Wilson, while getting linebacker DeMarvion Overshown back from injury. Those moves remade the Cowboys’ defense, and in three straight wins, it looked like the problem for the unit had been personnel, not coaching.
Now, though, the team has given up 44 points to the Lions and 34 to the Vikings in back-to-back weeks despite the improved personnel. So, we are back to coaching.
GettyOwner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys.
Matt Eberflus Was Linebackers Coach in Dallas
Jones did indicate that Eberflus could certainly save his job with three strong defensive showings for the Cowboys to close the season. Eberflus has a strong defensive reputation around the NFL, and Jones is well aware of that. Eberflus was the team’s linebackers coach for seven seasons from 2011-17.
“I’d like to play better defense, and at the end of the day, that’s what he does,” Jones said of Eberflus. “From the standpoint I know Matt, of course, individually since he’s coached here for many, many years. But I thought we made some adjustments. They handled it pretty good.
“If you notice, the (Vikings) style is that they get up, put a lot up to look at, and then they mix it up, kind of take some out, and put some in, so to speak, while it’s all going on. We kind of do it different philosophically. Theirs won the day.”
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