Back in January, Mike Zimmer made it clear he wouldn’t return to the Cowboys for a second season as defensive coordinator and was leaning toward retirement. Hence, Dallas moved on and hired Matt Eberflus as the DC for the 2025 season. Now, when you look at the Cowboys’ defense, they are one of the worst in the league. Yes, Eberflus might not be entirely to blame for the poor defense, but Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith certainly feels Dallas should look beyond the current defensive coordinator.

In an appearance on Blogging the Boys, Smith urges the Cowboys to get Mike Zimmer back and cut ties with Eberflus.

“I think Brian Schottenheimer probably would want to take an evaluation of his defensive coordinator. I think Mike Zimmer sits out there right now could be a great asset to the Dallas Cowboys right now. I think there are some defensive coordinators we should go get because I don’t think the one we have right now is truly maximizing talent we actually have,” Smith said.

That last part is tough to dispute. Early in the season, Dak Prescott was playing at an MVP level, but the defense repeatedly put the Cowboys in bad spots. They weren’t creating enough pressure, weren’t forcing turnovers, and too often couldn’t get off the field. It hasn’t changed now.

As for Zimmer, his most recent stint in Dallas didn’t go well. Last season, the Cowboys allowed the second-most points in the league (468) and gave up the fifth-most yards per play. They finished 7–10 and missed the postseason by a wide margin. But that failure was more about Jerry Jones not giving him enough weapons than his ability as a DC.

And his resume quite comfortably speaks for itself. He coordinated defenses for Atlanta (2007) and Cincinnati (2008–2013), then became head coach of the Vikings (2014–2021), going 72-56-1, reaching the playoffs three times, and making the NFC Championship Game in 2017.

Zimmer recently told longtime Cowboys reporter Mike Fisher that he has no interest in returning as an assistant under Brian Schottenheimer. So getting him back wouldn’t be easy, even if Jerry Jones wanted to make the call.

But if there’s one thing clear, it’s that Matt Eberflus’ defense simply isn’t good enough.

The Cowboys need a new defensive coordinator

The Cowboys’ defense has been so rough this season that it feels like a full reset is the only real solution, and Eberflus should be the first name on that list. With all the potential this offense has flashed, including becoming just the third team in NFL history to score 40-plus points in each of its first three home games, the defense has erased nearly all of that progress.

Dallas sits second-to-last in points allowed (30.8 per game) and total yards allowed (397.4). They’re 29th against the pass, giving up 254.4 yards per game. And the third-down defense might be the most painful stat of all: opponents are converting 52.6%, the worst mark in the league. Only Cincinnati has been consistently worse defensively.

Under Matt Eberflus, the issues run deep. Too many blown assignments, not enough pressure, and no real identity. And trading for Quinnen Williams won’t fix the underlying issues. And it doesn’t seem like Jerry Jones is looking to make any changes anytime soon.

“I see a guy that’s very pragmatic. He’s got his eye on the ball. He knows the things, in my mind, where we need to make adjustments. But the main thing is, he’s been in some hard times before relative to his team not playing well, and he’s brought them out of a nosedive. That’s the key thing,” Jerry Jones said.

The Cowboys’ owner has insisted from the start that this team is playoff-caliber. But with every defensive collapse, that vision drifts a little farther away. How much more he’s willing to stomach is anyone’s guess. At some point, every owner hits a breaking point. The question is whether Jerry ever gets there with Eberflus.