Cowboys and Robert Saleh: What could go right? What could go wrong?
On Wednesday morning, news broke from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that the Dallas Cowboys had their first head coach interview in mind, as former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh and the Cowboys are working toward scheduling a sit-down in Frisco in the coming days.
Saleh, 45, has long been a respected defensive mind since entering the NFL as an intern with the Houston Texans in 2005. Since then, he has been a defensive quality control coach under Pete Carroll in Seattle, a linebackers coach in Jacksonville and a four-year defensive coordinator in San Francisco. In 2020, he was hired by the Jets and failed to make the playoffs before being fired in week six of the 2024 season with a combined record of 20-36. He finished the season as an offensive consultant for the Green Bay Packers.
Other teams have already shown public interest, as the San Francisco 49ers have completed an interview with him to potentially bring him back as defensive coordinator, the Jacksonville Jaguars have requested an interview and the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to show interest.
Why could it make sense for the Cowboys? What could go wrong? Let’s analyze.
What could go right?
With an anticipated mega contract extension in order for defensive end Micah Parsons this offseason, two All-Pro talents in the secondary in DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs and young pieces in the front seven, Saleh’s development could prove to be a crucial piece toward getting the Dallas defense back to the top.
Despite his head coaching record in New York, Saleh had a top-four total defense in each of his last three seasons with the Jets and has been responsible for two other top-five defenses in his four years as a coordinator with the 49ers.
His coaching has been directly responsible for the early success of cornerback Sauce Gardner, who was awarded the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honor in 2022, defensive end Will McDonald IV and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
He’s shown a healthy balance of emphasis on his defensive fronts and his secondaries in his time calling defenses, and the Cowboys need to plug holes in each. He would need an offensive coordinator who could handle the entirety of the responsibilities on that side of the ball, but his influence on the defense would have a big enough impact to flip a Dallas unit that was 28th in total defense in 2024.
What could go wrong?
His three-plus years of experience as a head coach do not necessarily inspire confidence, as a 20-36 record and a messy end in New York will draw questions in the interview process.
Why did offensive success never come? Did Aaron Rodgers take over Saleh’s own team? Was Saleh’s voice respected in East Rutherford by the end? There will be concerns that will have to be worked through.
And maybe that’s why Saleh makes the most sense as a coordinator for the Cowboys rather than the head man. If the 49ers decide to not bring him back and he can’t find a head coaching opportunity elsewhere, hiring him under another head coach’s staff could make a lot of sense for Dallas.
But under the idea of a head coaching job, the Cowboys are in need of someone with proven postseason success. Not only has Saleh never made it to the postseason as a head coach, but his highest finish in the AFC East was third in 2023. It’s hard to find a reality where the Jerry Jones is comfortable with putting the future into the hands of someone with that head coaching resume.
