Cowboys enter second phase of defensive coordinator search with 3 interviews
The Dallas Cowboys are entering the second phase of the search for their new defensive coordinator after the firing of Matt Eberflus on Jan. 6. After nine virtual interviews were done since last Friday, the Cowboys have identified at least three candidates for a second round of interviews to be conducted in-person over the next week at The Star in Frisco.
The Cowboys will bring in Minnesota Vikings pass game coordinator Daronte Jones on Saturday, former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon early next week and Eagles pass game coordinator Christian Parker at some point in the next week for in-person discussions. The interviews will be conducted by head coach Brian Schottenheimer, owner Jerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones and vice president of player personnel Will McClay. Each interview is expected to take an entire business day with thorough evaluating, according to a team source.
Other interviews so far in the process include Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Giants interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen, Packers run game coordinator/defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington, Broncos pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard, former Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr and Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton.
Leonhard remains a possibility for an in-person interview, but he won’t be available to fly to Dallas until either the Broncos are out of the playoffs or Denver makes it to the Super Bowl in which case he would be able to interview during the bye week ahead of the big game.
The team also remains interested in speaking with Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, although Atlanta denied Dallas’ inital request for an interview as the franchise awaits what the decision will be of its new head coach with regard to Ulbrich’s future.
In the Cowboys’ season-end press conference, promises of a wide net being cast in the search of Eberflus’ replacement has been followed up on. In 13 previous hires of a defensive coordinator in franchise history, official reports show records of a total of 14 interviews. With this search alone, there have been nine interviews with three more occurring in the second round.
“We want to cast a very wide net,” Schottenheimer said on Jan. 7. “I want to talk to a lot of people. It’s an important decision, and it’s an important decision we’re going to get right ... It’s an exciting time for us because we feel like as you go through the process, it could be tedious. It could be a lot of long hours, but that’s what we love, and it’s what you have to do to get the decision right.”
This story was originally published January 16, 2026 at 5:50 PM.
