It only took less than 48 hours for the Dallas Cowboys to fire defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, after giving up a franchise-record 511 points in a frustrating 2025 season. It may not be the only firing we get this week, though, as questions have arisen about the Cowboys’ special team group.
Cowboys’ special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen could be the next coach after Eberflus to get the boot. Looking back at the poor display of special teams in important games late in the season, it’s quite easy to make a case for the team to fire Sorensen.
It only took one crucial game to show why Sorensen doesn’t belong in Dallas any longer, but there were plenty more issues on why his pink slip might be next, and soon.
Cowboys special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen has a case to be fired
In an important Thursday Night Football game against the Lions that the Cowboys badly needed to keep their playoff hopes alive, the special teams group fell way short of the mark.
Lions’ return specialists Tom Kennedy and Jacob Saylors had the game of their lives, as both players went for over 100 kickoff return yards against Dallas. This led to great field positioning for the Lions the entire night, and Dallas lost that battle by a landslide.
On the return team, the lightning-fast KaVontae Turpin hasn’t shown the same flash as before. It became a worry some sight to see one of the more explosive return specialists lose his touch.
Turpin’s 2025 season consisted of breaking the Cowboys’ single-season record for combined return yards with 1,869, but it didn’t feel the same as before. Turpin’s indecisiveness on kickoffs, in addition to multiple fair catch penalties, felt like empty calories on the field. The 511 points allowed on defense were a huge reason why Turpin was allowed to return a franchise-record 69 kicks, according to the Cowboys’ official website. That can explain the high return yardage.
Matt Owen, who specializes in stats, says the Cowboys had 32 penalties on special teams this season, the second most in the league. A whole reset is needed on defense, but this ST group needs the same thing to happen.
Jerry Jones has been applauded for moving quickly to fire Matt Eberflus, especially after one report suggested it could take 10–12 days to decide his fate. Based on how fast Jones is operating, it may not be long before another pink slip ends up on Sorensen’s desk.
