The Dallas Cowboys had a terrible 2025 season that not only questioned their legacy but also forced a shakeup on the defensive coaching staff. With a poor defense that set painful records, head coach Brian Schottenheimer knew where to start. After hiring new defensive coordinator Christian Parker, the team is building staff around him. And now the Cowboys are mulling over adding a new key piece on that side of the ball.

“The #Cowboys are expected to hire UCF’s Demeitre Brim in an assistant defensive line coach capacity,” CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz tweeted on X. 

Since arriving in Dallas, Christian Parker has explored several coaching talents in college football ‌while building his group. Following the recent hire of SMU’s Scott Symons, the Cowboys are now targeting another college coach in UCF’s Demeitre Brim. While this would be Brim’s first coaching job in the NFL, he’s not short on experience.

He began his playing career as a linebacker at Virginia before transferring to the University of Central Florida. As a senior in 2016, he started in twelve games and recorded 81 tackles. While his on-field performance earned Defensive MVP and Lifter of the Year honors, his impact went beyond the field. He was also part of UCF’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and leadership board.

Brim then spent five years at Nebraska in various defensive roles, including graduate assistant and quality control coach, before coaching the defensive line at Lehigh and returning to his alma mater, UCF, in 2025 as assistant defensive line coach. Brim’s potential addition is part of a desperate overhaul for a defense coming off the worst performance in franchise history.

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The 2025 defense was a historic failure, finishing last in the league in points allowed while proving incapable of generating takeaways or consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. While Matt Eberflus was dismissed after the season, the team’s struggles were widely seen as deeper than just one coach. Now, the franchise is betting on young coaches and their fresh ideas to support Brian Schottenheimer.

But while Dallas aims to fill the gaps with a coaching reset, an NFL legend thinks the problem lies with the leadership itself.

Troy Aikman calls out Cowboys’ leadership, questions lack of results

The Cowboys finished 7-9-1 and couldn’t make the postseason for the second consecutive year. According to former NFL quarterback Troy Aikman, the whole “cultural change” narrative doesn’t matter if the team can’t reach the ultimate goal. In fact, he has had enough of new promises about a Super Bowl run under Brian Schottenheimer.

“I think Brian Schottenheimer’s a good coach,” he said on The Troy Aikman Show. “As far as changing the culture, I don’t know that that happened. “…The results are the results, and if you don’t make the playoffs, it wasn’t a very good year, whether your culture’s good or not good.”

His disappointment also stems from the fact that QB Dak Prescott had a sterling year, including 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns. Most importantly, he remained healthy in every single game, while the offense kept up with his performance throughout the campaign. Aikman pointed out that such performances don’t come easily, noting Prescott’s age and unpredictable health issues that often derail a player’s season.

In his view, there’s no guarantee that he could recreate the same magic next season. 

“They’ve got things that have to be addressed,” Aikman added. “It’s not anything they don’t know about, and then you hope that some of the changes within the staff will maybe turn things around as well, at least on the defensive side of the ball.”

Brian Schottenheimer attempted a turnaround by making changes at the facility and during their training sessions. He moved a ping-pong table into the locker room and installed basketball hoops at The Star to boost competition. He even had players run laps after training camp scuffles to reinforce accountability. But in the end, the efforts couldn’t bring the desired results. While the front office adds new coaches, the real test will be whether Schottenheimer can translate these changes into the on-field results that legends like Aikman demand.