When a team fields one of the league’s better offenses but pairs it with a defense that consistently lets it down, tough offseason decisions become unavoidable. Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys have never shied away from those moments. This time, the fallout was significant. Defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was fired, and three more defensive assistants followed him out the door. What stood out, though, was who didn’t share that fate.

Despite a clear step back from what had once been a strength, the Cowboys’ special teams unit avoided the same level of scrutiny. And Nick Sorensen, who oversaw that group, is staying put. On Tuesday, Stephen Jones, Dallas’ executive vice president, confirmed that Sorensen will return for the 2026 season.

“We certainly want to be better there,” Jones said. “We’ve got some good pieces with our returner, our punter, our kicker, and our snapper. But usually when you get some good defensive players, those turn into pretty good special teams players too.”

Sorensen was hired mainly because of familiarity and experience. He had just come off a stint as the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator and had previously worked with Brian Schottenheimer. More importantly, he came in 2024 when Dallas had one of the NFL’s best special teams units. And the numbers backed it up.

The Cowboys averaged 32.1 yards per kickoff return on 34 attempts, totaling 1,091 yards and two touchdowns. They added 19 punt returns at 9.8 yards per return for 187 yards and another score. Around the league, Dallas was regularly listed among the top special teams groups. At the center of it all were Brandon Aubrey and KaVontae Turpin.

Aubrey was as reliable as ever, finishing 40-of-47 on field goals for an 85.1% success rate. Turpin, meanwhile, was the league’s most dangerous returner, leading the NFL with 33.5 yards per kickoff return. It’s why, when Sorensen arrived, he spoke glowingly about coaching that core group.

“Just talking to the core players who have played here, they understand it,” he said back in February 2025. “And that’s number one, and then two, how can you equate that to what they have to actually do in the game and be able to transfer that to making plays whether it’s blocking or tackling or just making those plays.”

But once the 2025 season kicked off, that promise didn’t fully carry over.

Aubrey remained steady, converting 36-of-42 field goals for an 85.7% clip. Beyond that, though, the unit lost its edge. Dallas’ kickoff return average dropped from 32.1 to 25.6 yards, while its punt return average fell from 9.8 to 6.3. The explosiveness that defined the previous year simply wasn’t there. In short, under Sorensen in 2025, the kicking game held firm. But the return game took a noticeable step back.

Yet while Jerry and Stephen Jones pulled the plug on four defensive coaches, including Eberflus, Sorensen survived the reset. Not because the results were good enough, but because the Cowboys believe they should be better. Now, Dallas heads into 2026 with continuity on special teams. But with a new defensive coordinator.

Jerry Jones filled one of the biggest defensive holes

After moving on from Matt Eberflus just one season into his tenure, the team also parted ways with the entourage that followed the former DC to Dallas from Chicago. They cast a wide net in search of Eberflus’ replacement and interviewed nine candidates for the defensive coordinator role before Jerry Jones finally landed on Christian Parker. With the hire, Parker becomes the Cowboys’ fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons. And while the turnover alone raises eyebrows, Stephen Jones made his expectations clear for the new DC.

“Start with coach Schottenheimer has a vision for the type of defense he wanted to have that compliments what we do on offense,” Stephen said. “At the end of the day, it was Christian’s vision. Not only for the type of defense he wants to play in terms of the personality it’s going to have and the type of culture he wants to create over on that side of the ball, but also the wrinkles that he could bring that really would fit the pieces that we have in place.”

Parker arrives in Dallas with a strong résumé in the secondary. He most recently served as the Philadelphia Eagles’ secondary coach and passing game coordinator. Under his influence in 2024, the Eagles allowed an NFL-best 174.2 passing yards per game, while Parker played a key role in the development of young standouts Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. That background will be tested immediately.

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Parker now inherits a Cowboys defense that struggled across the board in 2025.

Dallas allowed an NFL-high 30.1 points per game, finished 30th in total yards allowed at 377 per game, ranked 30th in turnovers forced, and sat 27th in sacks. Still, from the Cowboys’ perspective, one of the biggest offseason questions has now been answered. The defensive coordinator spot is filled. What comes next is just as important. With Parker in place, Jerry Jones will continue rounding out the rest of the coaching staff as it gears up for what looks like a full-scale defensive reset heading into the 2026 season.