On Tuesday morning, the Dallas Cowboys moved on from defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, firing him after one season that saw the team give up a franchise record 511 points and a league-worst 30.1 points per game.
Now, the search begins for his replacement, and more pressure than ever will be put on making the right hire. With it being the fourth defensive coordinator for the team in as many years, getting the hire right is crucial toward consistency and the future success of the defensive unit.
Here are seven names that could make sense as the Cowboys cast their net to find their next defensive leader:
Brian Flores, Vikings defensive coordinator
Something to know going into the search: The Cowboys will not be able to interview any current defensive coordinator without the other team’s approval. Those situations are rarely granted across the league.
However, Flores will see his contract expire in the coming days, and at that point he will be free to interview with any team. Minnesota does have a period with exclusive negotiating rights, but he is also expected to be a candidate for head coaching opportunities, including the Las Vegas Raiders.
After the Vikings’ 34-26 win over the Cowboys on Dec. 14, head coach Brian Schottenheimer and owner Jerry Jones publicly praised Flores’ unit for its ability to get to the quarterback and affect the game. Now, they could have their chance to bring him in.
Jonathan Gannon, former Cardinals head coach
Since 2011, the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys has been a former head coach. Flores fits that bill, and so does Gannon after he was fired from Arizona on Monday.
Familiarity has also been a key driving point to a lot of the Cowboys’ hires over the years. And while Gannon doesn’t have direct experience in Dallas, he does have experience coaching alongside Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. Additionally, he has familiarity in the division after leading the Eagles’ defense in 2021 and 2022 — posting top-10 units each season.
While his three-year tenure in Arizona never got off the ground (15-36 record), his proven experience as a coordinator in the division could lead to some interest from Dallas.