The Dallas Cowboys formally announced the hiring of new HC Brian Schottenheimer on Friday morning with an introductory press conference.
Jerry Jones and his staff in the front office still found a way to give the fanbase exactly what they want while simultaneously infuriating them. You wanted a first-year head coach didn’t y’all?
Dallas did just that, but they hired a man who has been an offensive coordinator for 14 seasons, and has not called plays since 2020 as the offensive coordinator in Seattle. Despite our doubts, Brian Schottenheimer is the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and there is nothing we can do about it.
As is customary with every head coach, the next steps are to round out his staff. Schottenheimer himself will call plays, and it has yet to be seen if another coach will be appointed the offensive coordinator position like he was under Mike McCarthy.
DC Mike Zimmer was not asked to come back, and rumors are that he has decided to retire. The Cowboys have made a decision on who will be the defensive coordinator in 2025, and they have decided on an ex-head coach.
As reported by several sources on Tuesday morning, the Dallas Cowboys have reached an agreement with former Bears HC Matt Eberflus as the new defensive coordinator.
What Does This Mean For the Cowboys?
Matt Eberflus is an excellent defensive mind who previously spent time with the team from 2011-2017 as a defensive assistant a linebackers coach and eventually finishing as passing game coordinator, so he is familiar with the organization.
During his time in Dallas, Eberflus coached linebackers like DeMarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer, Sean Lee, Bruce Carter, Anthony Hitchens, Rolando McClain, and Jaylon Smith.
He is not the linebackers coach this time around, but his defenses focus on linebackers and flowing to the football, so he will likely have an extra focus on that.
That makes me excited for players like DeMarvion Overshown, Marist Liufau, and especially Micah Parsons. Eberflus’ defensive scheme can highlight these players’ strengths and lead to better play than we have seen in recent years.
I believe this will directly impact the run defense in a positive way, and I am not at all upset with the choice for defensive coordinator.
What Does This Mean For Matt Eberflus?
It means he gets another chance to coach despite his first head coach experience not going as planned in Chicago. After leaving Dallas, Eberflus landed his first defensive coordinator job with Indianapolis, where he found success.
Eberlus’ defenses with the Colts ranked in the top-10 in three of his four seasons, and his rush defense finished 8th, 7th, and 2nd from 2018-2020, respectively. His rush defense ranked #1 in the NFL in 2023 with the Bears.
Rush defense has been one of the Cowboys’ main problems, and Eberflus can come in and remedy that in one season with the right pieces at his disposal.
Eberflus has never worked with Schottenheimer before, and I see that as a good thing. They get to meet and discuss plans for the defense without any previous bias. Good things come from organic conversations, and a huge improvement in the defensive scheme could be one of those things.
We will monitor who Eberflus brings in as assistants on his staff for the 2025 season. All of the assistants under Mike Zimmer have expiring contracts, and big names like Passing Game Coordinator Al Harris have already moved on.
Coincidentally, Harris ended up in Chicago almost as a 1:1 swap with Eberflus. Dallas still lacks a linebackers coach, secondary coach, and defensive line coach. It will be interesting to see if Eberflus picks from coaches he has worked with before, or if he will be open to bringing in coaches who have something to prove.