Cowboys interviewing internal option for defensive coordinator as search expands
As the search for the new defensive coordinator heads into its second week for the Dallas Cowboys, the team is interviewing an internal candidate on Monday.
Aaron Whitecotton, who served as the defensive line coach in his first season with the Cowboys in 2025, will virtually meet with the team’s brass as the team’s fourth interview, the Star-Telegram has confirmed. The interview was first reported by CBS’ Jonathan Jones.
The team will also interview Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr and former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon.
The trio joins other interviewees Ephraim Banda (Browns safeties coach), Daronte Jones (Vikings pass game coordinator) and Jim Leonhard (Broncos pass game coordinator) who have all virtually interviewed since Friday.
Whitecotton, a 13-year NFL assistant, was tasked with handling sideline adjustments late in the season when former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus was moved to the coaching booth for the final three games. When asked in training camp if Whitecotton could be a future defensive coordinator in the NFL, head coach Brian Schottenheimer was definitive in his praise.
“Absolutely,” Schottenheimer said. “He’s another guy that’s done an incredible job of creating a culture, a close-knit, special bond in that room. He’s tough as nails. He’s a guy you don’t want to cross. He’s a grown-ass man. His knowledge of the game, the way we play the front, he understands the big picture. He understands how the run fits tie together with the safeties and the secondary. He understands pass coverages and things like that. The answer is 100 percent.”
Orr is not expected to be retained by the Ravens after head coach John Harbaugh was fired last week. A native of DeSoto and graduate of North Texas, Orr has deep ties in Dallas-Fort Worth and has served two seasons as coordinator for the Ravens. In 2021, he coached alongside Schottenheimer with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Gannon was recently fired from Arizona after three seasons as head coach. And while he doesn’t have direct experience in Dallas, he does have experience coaching alongside Cowboys offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. Additionally, he has familiarity in the division after leading the Eagles’ defense in 2021 and 2022 — posting top-10 units each season.
The search has been expected to expand past the three initial candidates, as this week is viewed as an opportunity to see some dominoes fall around the league that could open up the availability of other candidates.
The Cowboys put in an interview request for Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich last week, but they were denied access to speak with him as Atlanta will allow its new head coach to decide on retaining the longtime NFL assistant.
Other dominoes could include the fate of Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, who is in the same situation in Cleveland as Ulbrich is in Atlanta. However, Schwartz is the favorite to be promoted to head coach. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is set to have his contract expire in the coming days, but he is the betting favorite to be the new head coach for the Las Vegas Raiders. If he doesn’t land a head coaching job, he would hit the open market as one of the most experienced coordinators in free agency.
A couple of additional names to monitor are Panthers pass game coordinator Jonathan Cooley and Ravens secondary coach Chuck Pagano.
Cooley just completed his sixth season in the NFL and his third with the Panthers. He has twice been a part of a top-three NFL defense (2020 with Rams, 2023 with Panthers) and has helped make Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson one of the better cornerback duos in the NFL. Their 30 combined pass deflections in 2024 were the most of any duo in the league. Considering Schottenheimer has emphasized wanting more ball production from his defense under its new coordinator, this name could spark intrigue.
Pagano has nine seasons of play-calling experience in which he has posted a top-15 passing defense in five of those years. At 65, Pagano came out of a five-year retirement to coach the Ravens’ secondary in 2025. In his six seasons as head coach for the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2017, Pagano worked with Schottenheimer (QBs coach) for two of those years.
“He did an outstanding job for us in Indy,” Pagano told the Star-Telegram about Schottenheimer in August. “Really smart, a tremendous teacher and communicator, and so relatable to the players. He has great energy. He’s upbeat and positive every single day. And at the same time, he’s demanding in all the right ways.”
This story was originally published January 12, 2026 at 2:54 PM.
