The second week of the Cowboys head coaching search brought out some new names. A household name is even considered the favorite by one betting media…despite having no head coaching experience. We’ll also explain which NFC coaching position could be in the mix once his current team finishes the playoffs. Deion Sanders is strengthening his team in Colorado, which may suggest he’s out…and we wonder if seeing Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn succeed this postseason will teach the Cowboys an important lesson.
Elsewhere, Mike McCarthy sets his sights on an NFC South team after the Bears find their man, and we’ll break down how Chicago managed to take down the cycle’s hottest prospect without Dallas even talking to him. One of the Cowboys’ most popular assistants finds a new home, two franchise greats go at it on social media, and what’s the real reason the Cowboys job isn’t the hottest opening attractiveness of the league? All that, plus AT&T Stadium loses the CFP title game…and the Ravens’ heartbreaking loss Sunday recalls – in striking similarity – one of the most painful defeats ever for Cowboys fans of old school.
Ranking the 18 NFL teams that missed the playoffs: Who is most likely to bounce back in 2025? :: Athletics
Maybe it really was a one-year anomaly. Of all the teams that will miss the playoffs, Dallas is listed as the second most likely team to bounce back in 2025. Better health alone should position the Cowboys’ return to the thick of things in the NFC East… if Jerry Jones can hire a solid head coach and really address the running game.
ESPN quotes Jerry Jones on why the Cowboys aren’t clearly the best HC opening in the NFL :: Cowboys Wire
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Mina Kimes ranked open head coaching positions and Dallas is tied (with Chicago) for the most attractive positions. They have a top quarterback and an overall great team. But intangible assets pose a major obstacle; namely, Jerry Jones and his constant meddling. That’s more than enough to perhaps eliminate some of the top candidates in this year’s cycle. (I’m looking at you, Ben Johnson.)
Sunday’s Eddie George interview paved the way for the Bears to move quickly on Ben Johnson :: ProFootballTalk
Chicago interviewed former Cowboys running back Eddie George on Sunday in a meeting that had been planned for several days. But the fact that the Rooney Rule was fulfilled by the time the Lions lost meant the Bears could quickly set up a meeting with Ben Johnson. It worked; they settled on Johnson before the Cowboys even had a chance to request a meeting with him.
Report: Cowboys assistant with no HC experience catapults to top of candidate list :: Cowboys Wire
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DraftKings likes Brian Schottenheimer to win the head coaching job, giving him odds of -250. The 51-year-old projected the Cowboys’ offense into the top five in points and yards last season, but this year saw a steep decline. Schottenheimer is obviously a known commodity and would provide continuity for Dak Prescott, but he has never been a head coach before at any level.
Despite Dallas Cowboys rumors swirl, Deion Sanders looks to add NFL Hall of Famer to Colorado staff :: A to Z Sports
Coach Prime doesn’t act like a guy who leaves Boulder. In fact, he’s an all-star team for the Buffaloes in 2025. Warren Sapp is already there; now, Marshall Faulk could join the program as running backs coach.
Report: Cowboys and former position coach ‘expressed mutual interest’ in HC candidacy :: Cowboys Wire
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Anthony Lynn coached the Cowboys running backs in 2005 and 2006 and was on staff for several other teams, including a four-year head coaching stint with the Chargers. He currently works in Washington as the running game coordinator, in addition to his duties as RB coach. If Dallas wants to follow through on their mutual interest, they will have to wait until after the NFC title game at the earliest.
Report: Saints schedule in-person interview with former Cowboys head coach :: Saints Wire
The Saints plan to sit down with McCarthy later this week now that the Bears job is no longer in consideration for the veteran coach. He has a history with the organization, having served as offensive coordinator from 2000 to 2004. Weather could be a factor in planning an in-person visit; A rare winter storm is heading toward the southern Gulf region and could limit the travel plans of millions of people.
Kellen Moore’s success in Philadelphia leads to a fundamental question: When will the Cowboys front office grow? :: Cowboy thread
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Watching Moore thrive with the Cowboys formula claimed they wanted to raise eyebrows. Now one of Mike McCarthy’s recent coordinators will coach in the Super Bowl, while the Cowboys start over with a new team. But have they learned anything from the mistakes of recent years? Will they show growth by adopting a new approach?
Report: Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel lands with new team :: Cowboys Wire
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The Cowboys reportedly “made a late effort to keep him,” but Fassel will head to Nashville to become the Titans’ new special teams coordinator. The Cowboys’ special teams have excelled under Fassel’s leadership, with kicker Brandon Aubrey and kick return specialist KaVontae Turpin among his notable projects. Both players were brought to Dallas from spring leagues and became All-Pros under Fassel’s tutelage.
5 strategies the next Cowboys coach must implement in Dallas :: Cowboys Wire
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Not expecting Dak Prescott to throw 60% of the time would be smart given the new coaching regime. Improving the running game should be considered a must. Returning the offensive line to its former glory should be a priority, as should implementing more play action and misdirection. And the front office needs to stop hiring comfortable names and familiar faces just because it’s easier.
Micah Parsons and Dez Bryant clash on social media over Cowboys culture :: Awful Announcing
The Cowboys’ big two got involved because of the Dallas mentality. Bryant denounced “all the nepotism” and called for “a culture change.” Parsons responded by saying: “Stuff like that irritates [sic] me Dez… You could have changed the culture bro!!” Bryant didn’t appreciate this: “You’re really too young to understand. You’ll soon realize you need more people like me who don’t care [expletive] for the best athletes. » The frustration surrounding this team is very real.
Mark Andrews’ brutal performance evokes memories of Jackie Smith :: SI.com
The painful drop of a two-point conversion by the Ravens tight end in the final moments of the AFC divisional game had many Cowboys fans bringing up the name Jackie Smith. Smith dropped a surefire touchdown pass in the end zone in the third quarter of the Cowboys’ 35-31 loss in Super Bowl XIII, still considered one of the worst moments in franchise history. The two pieces looked surprisingly similar.
Hopefully the NFL Divisional Playoffs taught the Cowboys and Jerry Jones this important lesson :: Cowboys Wire
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Successful teams find good coaches. They find high-end QBs and aren’t afraid to pay them. They are drafting well and signing good players in free agency so they can put together a well-rounded roster. They don’t put the burden of the franchise on one or two entities. They treat the team like a team. This weekend’s games were filled with organizations that demonstrated how championship-caliber teams are built.
The Cowboys are now the laughing stock of the NFC and NFL :: Cowboys Wire
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With Washington’s ticket to the NFC title game, every team in the conference has now reached championship weekend since the Cowboys last appeared. The last two decades have been marked by a long string of bad decisions and moments of bad luck dating back to Tony Romo’s shaky grip. And then, of course, there’s the awkward team ownership. Social media has made it even easier to highlight weaknesses and keep Team USA firmly entrenched as America’s punchline.
AT&T Stadium loses bid to host 2029 College Football Championship, sources say :: WFAA
The Cowboys’ stadium will no longer host the CFP title game in January 2029. While some thought this could mean a Super Bowl site announcement for AT&T, sources now say the decision – made by the Cotton Bowl, and not by the Cowboys or the NFL – The situation is twofold: the state legislature could make an adjustment in how it helps pay for incentives for such events, and a nearby convention center that would host Related festivities might not be created by then.
This article was originally published on Cowboys Wire: Cowboys Headlines: HC Candidate Pool Reduced by 1, Micah and Dez in Social Media Argument, Ravens Gaffe Recalls Old Dallas Injury
