The Dallas Cowboys did not have the 2025 campaign that they were hoping for, and as a result, changes are going to be made this offseason. The team’s biggest need right now is a new defensive coordinator after Matt Eberflus was fired after spending just one season on head coach Brian Schottenheimer‘s staff.
In their search for a new defensive coordinator, the Cowboys have cast a wide net when assembling a list of their candidates. That group includes former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, and according to a recent report, it sounds like Dallas’ pursuit of him has received a big update.
Cowboys Set for In-Person Meeting with Jonathan Gannon
When Schottenheimer took over as Dallas’ new head coach last offseason, he looked to hire a former head coach for one of his two coordinator positions to help him in his transition to his new gig. That guy ended up being Eberflus, whose prior stint as the Chicago Bears‘ head coach resulted in him getting fired midway through the 2024 campaign. Before that, though, Eberflus was a highly-regarded defensive mind in many league circles.
Things didn’t go Eberflus’ way again in 2025, though. It certainly didn’t help that Micah Parsons was traded to the Green Bay Packers right before the start of the season, but Eberflus was never able to get the defense on track, as a slew of injuries and poor performances across the board hampered the unit from Week 1 to Week 18.
That cost Eberflus his job, and now the Cowboys are searching for his replacement. Gannon is another candidate who fits a similar bill as Eberflus, as he’s a former head coach who was considered a bright defensive mind before his failure with the Cardinals. Dallas appears to be increasing its pursuit of Gannon, as the two sides are set for an in-person meeting next week to discuss the team’s defensive coordinator job.
“New: I’m told former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon’s in-person visit with the Dallas Cowboys for their vacant defensive coordinator position is currently scheduled for Tuesday, per league source,” NFL insider Josina Anderson reported in a post on X.
Should the Cowboys Hire Jonathan Gannon?
GettyEx-Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon in action against the Dallas Cowboys
Before getting hired by the Cardinals, Gannon worked his way up the ranks with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he turned himself into one of the top head coach candidates in the league during his time as their defensive coordinator. A return to his roots could be just what Gannon needs to get back on track, and the Cowboys could certainly use a solid defensive mind to help them out on that side of the ball.
Nothing is set in stone, obviously, but it looks like Dallas may be locking in on Gannon as its top candidate for its defensive coordinator vacancy. Whether or not he gets hired will likely depend on how this meeting goes, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if the team doesn’t let him leave the building next Tuesday. As a result, this will be a situation worth monitoring over the next few days.
Cowboys’ Pursuit of Jonathan Gannon for DC Vacancy Gets Major Update