Ever since the Dallas Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, it was clear the changes to the defensive coaching staff wouldn’t stop there.
Now, on the heels of the Cowboys hiring Christian Parker as their new defensive coordinator, those changes are materializing themselves. And according to the latest report from a Cowboys insider, things are about to heat up.
Insider confirms suspicion of staff overhaul
Close to every defensive coach on the Cowboys staff from the 2025 season had close ties to Matt Eberflus. When the Cowboys hired him as a part of Brian Schottenheimer’s staff, it became clear they allowed Eberflus to bring his own crew. Thus, suspicion was those coaches would be gone alongside Eberflus. Things are indeed heading in that direction.
According to Dallas Morning News insider Calvin Watkins, the following coaches will not return to the Cowboys for the 2026 season:
- Andre Curtis, defensive pass game coordinator
- David Overstreet II, secondary/cornerbacks coach
- Dave Borgonzi, linebackers coach
Though defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton isn’t ruled out yet, there are already some signs he could be on his way out, and maybe for a promotion.
Change expected at DL coach
Whitecotton is expected to interview for the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator opening, where he could reunite with Robert Saleh. Whitecotton and Saleh have a long history of coaching together, most recently with the New York Jets, where Whitecotton also coached DL.
To add to the speculation, the Cowboys are interviewing Marcus Dixon to be their defensive line coach.
None of this should be surprising to Cowboys fans. Coaches usually like to build their own staff and rarely are there position coaches sticking around from one coordinator/head coach to another. In the coming weeks, expect plenty of names with ties to Parker to emerge on his search as he aims to build his first staff as a coordinator.
Hopefully, however, he learns from Brian Schottenheimer and expands his search to coaches he hasn’t directly worked with, too. That worked out quite well for Dallas on the offensive side of the ball in Schottenheimer’s first year as HC, as the Cowboys offense finished Top 5 in scoring.
