The Dallas Cowboys defense doesn’t look much different in 2026 than it did last season when it was one of the worst units in the league. But the Cowboys now hope an addition to the defensive staff could change that.
Dallas added veteran NFL coach Mike Pettine to its defensive staff this week. Pettine will hold the title of senior defensive assistant.
That’s not a particularly specific title. Pettine provided more details on his exact role to reporters Friday.
“Just clearly support, just advise [Christian Parker],” Pettine said. “I think we’ll build a lot of the stuff together. We’ll game plan along with the staff. I just feel like my experience there, having gone against a lot of these opponents over time and kind of built books on most of these offensive coordinators, just feel I’ll be able to help that way.
“Game day, I’ll just be up top as another set of eyes for him to bounces things off of, offer suggestions. I think the role will just kind of grow as it goes.”
Pettine’s first NFL coaching role was with the Baltimore Ravens nearly 25 years ago. He coached under Rex Ryan for more than a decade, serving as defensive coordinator under Ryan with the New York Jets. Pettine was also Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator under Doug Marrone for a season.
From 2014-15, Pettine served as head coach for the Cleveland Browns.
“I think I can help a lot,” Pettine said. “It’s funny, I have a big four-inch thick book of what not to do, and a very thin one of what to do. So I think that’s key, is to be able to learn from others mistakes.
“As much as you think you’re prepared for it, you’re really not until you get into it. And I think that’s where I’ll be able to help him.”
Mike Pettine Speaks out on Cowboys Role
Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker appears to have a bright future in the league. The team’s brass, including owner Jerry Jones, still has a lot of confidence in Parker, who is in his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator.
But Pettine has something Parker doesn’t — experience.
A few years after his Browns head coaching tenure ended, he became a defensive coordinator again for three years with the Green Bay Packers. He was also an assistant head coach with the Minnesota Vikings from 2022-25.
Pettine has previous experience with the Cowboys defensive coordinator as well. Parker’s first NFL coaching job was under Pettine in 2019 with the Packers.
Parker is the reason Pettine accepted the role in Dallas. On Friday, the senior assistant described Parker as a friend in need.
That should make things easier for the Cowboys to navigate the potentially complicated matter of an assistant who just arrived with the team calling for changes.
“CP knows me well enough that when I say something, some other people might be a bit shocked by it, and he just knows who I am,” Pettine said. “He’ll understand where I’m coming from. I’ll make some suggestions, and when we get behind closed doors, if I need to have some tough conversations, we’ll do it as I’ve always done with him or with other coaches. I don’t see that part of it being an issue.”
Pettine suggested the Cowboys defense might need a lot of changes. But he stressed they won’t happen all at once and a majority of them will be minor but crucial changes.
“One thing I learned a long time ago is football’s a game of a million little things,” Pettine said. “There’s no one magic play to run, it’s a lot of the detail stuff. Just been taking a lot of notes. It’s not like it’s something that, ‘Hey, we’re going to do these 30 things different today.’
“But it’s things that need to get addressed.”
Pettine will coach his first game with the Cowboys in Week 6. Dallas will visit Green Bay on Sunday night.
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