Ahead of the regular-season finale against the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones made it clear that the franchise was in for a busy 2026 offseason. That sentiment quickly turned into action. Following a 2025 season that proved to be the Cowboys’ worst defensively, the franchise decided to move on from defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, a move widely viewed as the first of several changes to come.

“Having known Matt Eberflus for decades now, we have tremendous respect and appreciation for him as a coach and a person,” Jones said in his statement, which was published on the Cowboys’ social media. “After reviewing and discussing the results of our defensive performance this season, though, it was clear that change is needed. This is the first step in that process, and we will continue that review as it applies to reaching our much higher expectations.”

Eberflus first joined the Cowboys back in 2011, serving as the team’s linebackers coach from 2011 to 2015. He then took on an expanded role as defensive passing game coordinator from 2016 to 2017 before eventually parting ways with the organization. And after stints with the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears, Eberflus returned to Dallas in 2025, this time as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. But things didn’t exactly go according to plan.

• The Cowboys went 7-9-1.
• The team had one of the league’s worst defenses. They finished the league’s worst scoring defense (30.1 points per game allowed) and a bottom-three total defense (377 yards per game).
• Eberflus also didn’t have a great start to the season as the Cowboys traded All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons a week before their season started.
• The team added defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and veteran linebacker Logan Wilson, but it wasn’t enough to elevate the defense.

Still, during the pregame of the Cowboys’ regular-season finale, Jones addressed the team’s defensive struggles and made one thing clear: the blame didn’t fall solely on Eberflus.

“Don’t blame this all on [Matt Eberflus],” Jones said. “This took five or six years to get here. This is a product of several years of combinations of philosophies. A lot of people, in that sense, and you can broaden who has influenced where we are the most. But I can make a case for you that we haven’t had satisfactory defense for five or six years.”

That comment is worth paying attention to. After all, in recent seasons, Dallas’ defense only found real consistency when Dan Quinn was calling the shots. Before Quinn and after him, the unit struggled, just as Jones pointed out. Yet, it’s hard to ignore that things went south under Eberflus’ watch.

In fact, head coach and offensive play-caller Brian Schottenheimer would spend extra time in the defensive meeting rooms to help. He even thought it was best for Eberflus to work from the coaching box instead of the sideline. But those adjustments didn’t prove fruitful.

The defense gave up a team-record 511 points this season. It was the seventh time since Jones became the owner and GM in 1989 that the team allowed 400 points or more. And after each instance, there was either a coordinator who got sacked or a big overhaul.

So, for Jones, it became clear that Eberflus wasn’t the best fit. The franchise now hunts for its next defensive coordinator.

Potential contenders Jerry Jones could consider for the next Cowboys DC

If history is any indication, Dallas tends to favor coaches with prior NFL head coaching experience. With that in mind, a few names immediately stand out as potential replacements heading into 2026.

One option to consider is Jonathan Gannon, who was recently fired by the Arizona Cardinals after three difficult seasons. While his head-coaching stint didn’t work out, it’s worth remembering that Gannon was far more effective as a DC. During his time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and 2022, the defense took a major leap in his second year.

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The Eagles had a top-five defense in Gannon’s second season. They even made it to the Super Bowl.

Another name in the mix is Raheem Morris, who was recently let go by the Atlanta Falcons following yet another losing season. While Morris could draw interest for another head-coaching role, a return to coordinating isn’t out of the question. His defenses in Atlanta often outperformed their talent level. And his best work came with the Los Angeles Rams, where he played a key role in their Super Bowl run in 2022.

Then there’s Jim Schwartz, who is currently serving as the DC for the Cleveland Browns. With Kevin Stefanski out of Cleveland, a new head coach may look to install his own staff. It could potentially put Schwartz on the market. If that happens, he would instantly become one of the more attractive options, especially considering Cleveland fielded the league’s top defense under his watch.

Beyond those names, Jerry Jones could also explore other familiar options, such as Al Harris (Bears defensive passing game coordinator), Leslie Frazier (assistant head coach of the Seattle Seahawks), or even Brian Flores (Vikings DC). For now, though, one thing is clear: Jones is determined to fix what went wrong on the defensive side of the ball. And that process starts with finding the right DC for 2026.