For renewed hope, the Dallas Cowboys reorganize their coaching staff.

In a league as competitive and high-profile as the NFL, coaching staffs play a pivotal role in determining a team’s success or failure. The Dallas Cowboys, a franchise with a rich history but recent years marked by unfulfilled expectations, are looking to recalibrate their future through a dramatic restructuring of their coaching staff. With a roster packed with talent and a fanbase that never wavers in its expectations, the Cowboys’ decision to reorganize their coaching staff represents a bold step toward renewing hope and bringing a Super Bowl championship back to Dallas.

The Cowboys have experienced ups and downs under head coach Mike McCarthy’s leadership, but despite the team’s talent, consistent deep playoff runs have been elusive. In a quest to break free from mediocrity and solidify themselves as a legitimate Super Bowl contender, the Cowboys have decided that the best way forward involves reshaping the coaching hierarchy, creating a new energy, and improving the coaching philosophy. This reorganization aims to leverage the talent on the roster, build on strengths, and eliminate the inconsistencies that have hindered the team’s potential.

The Need for Change

Since Mike McCarthy took over as head coach in 2020, the Cowboys have shown flashes of brilliance—especially on offense with quarterback Dak Prescott and playmakers like CeeDee Lamb, Ezekiel Elliott, and Tony Pollard—but they have often been bogged down by mistakes, inconsistency, and missed opportunities. In 2021, the Cowboys were the NFC East champions, and in 2022 they made the playoffs, even winning a wild card game before losing to the San Francisco 49ers. However, despite flashes of potential, the team has struggled to consistently execute in high-pressure situations, especially in key playoff games.

In particular, the Cowboys’ defense has been a mixed bag, with impressive individual performances from players like Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs but also lapses in coverage, tackling, and defensive cohesion. Special teams have also been an issue, with both critical mistakes and missed opportunities in high-leverage moments.

These inconsistencies in performance led to the decision to reorganize the coaching staff. In some instances, the changes were aimed at refreshing outdated methods, while in others, they were designed to address specific weaknesses in game management and strategy. The hope is that a new coaching structure, with fresh leadership and a more defined approach, will help the Cowboys move past their previous shortcomings.

Key Changes in the Coaching Staff

The restructuring of the Cowboys’ coaching staff centers around key changes in both the offensive and defensive coordinator positions, as well as alterations to the special teams and positional coaching ranks. Let’s break down the major changes and how they are expected to impact the team moving forward.

Offensive Coordinator: A New Voice for Dak Prescott

One of the most significant changes for the Cowboys is the departure of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Moore, who had served in that role since 2019, was credited with revitalizing the Cowboys’ offense, but his lack of postseason success and perceived limitations in big games ultimately led to his departure. His departure was seen as necessary to address the Cowboys’ stagnation on offense, particularly in the postseason.

In Moore’s place, the Cowboys have hired a new offensive coordinator who brings a fresh perspective and a new playbook. This move was aimed at improving the Cowboys’ offensive consistency and making the best use of Dak Prescott’s skill set. The new offensive coordinator will emphasize a balanced attack, aiming to improve the Cowboys’ rushing game while also keeping their passing game dynamic and unpredictable.

The emphasis for this new offensive staff is to simplify Prescott’s decision-making, create more versatile and adaptive play designs, and foster a more effective red zone offense. The new coordinator is expected to bring in concepts that better utilize the running back rotation, especially Tony Pollard, who has shown great promise in an expanded role. The offensive line, which has been a source of inconsistency in recent years, will also receive closer attention, with a focus on creating better blocking schemes to allow Prescott more time and freedom in the pocket.

This change in the offensive coordinator position is pivotal, as Dak Prescott is the face of the franchise, and his development—both in terms of consistency and leadership—is the key to the Cowboys’ success moving forward. The new offensive system is expected to build around Prescott’s strengths while reducing mistakes and capitalizing on opportunities.

Defensive Coordinator: A Stronger Foundation for the Defense

Another major change came in the defensive coordinator position. The Cowboys parted ways with their previous defensive coordinator, who, despite leading a defense with some standout players like Micah Parsons, failed to bring the unit to its full potential in critical moments. The defensive coordinator was often criticized for a lack of adaptability and his unit’s tendency to let up big plays at inopportune times.

In response to this, the Cowboys brought in a new defensive coordinator—Matt Eberflus, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts. Eberflus is widely respected for his ability to instill discipline and create a culture of tough, fast, and smart football on defense. During his time with the Colts, Eberflus’ defenses consistently ranked among the top units in the NFL, particularly in turnover margin and rush defense.

Under Eberflus, the Cowboys’ defense is expected to focus more on creating turnovers and playing with a relentless mentality. Eberflus’ system will emphasize pressure on opposing quarterbacks, linebacker versatility, and improving coverage consistency in the secondary. The Cowboys’ defense, which already includes superstar players like Parsons, Diggs, and Lawrence, will benefit from Eberflus’ ability to deploy these players in ways that maximize their potential. For example, Parsons—one of the league’s most explosive defenders—will likely see even more freedom to rush the passer and create havoc behind the line of scrimmage, while Diggs will be asked to focus on improving his coverage discipline without losing his ball-hawking instincts.

The defense’s renewed focus under Eberflus will also put more emphasis on fundamentals like tackling and reading the opposing offense’s tendencies. The Cowboys’ defense has the talent to be one of the best in the league, but consistency and discipline will be the cornerstones of Eberflus’ approach.

Special Teams and Position Coaching: Addressing the Full Roster

Special teams have long been an Achilles’ heel for the Cowboys, with a series of miscues and missed opportunities costing the team important games. Whether it’s missed field goals, poor punt returns, or critical penalties, special teams play has not been up to the standard expected of a team with championship aspirations. As a result, the Cowboys made the decision to overhaul their special teams unit as part of the coaching restructure.

The new special teams coordinator, hired as part of the reorganization, brings a wealth of experience and a no-nonsense approach to fixing the Cowboys’ weaknesses. The focus will be on improving every facet of special teams, from kickoff coverage to field goal protection, and ensuring that special teams plays do not become a source of frustration or points for opposing teams. This change is crucial, as even one or two missed opportunities on special teams can have an outsized impact on a playoff run.

Additionally, position coaching saw some shifts. The Cowboys made sure to hire coaches with specialized skills to address specific areas of concern. For instance, the offensive line coach has been tasked with ensuring better communication and technique across the line to improve Dak Prescott’s protection and the efficiency of the running game. The linebacker coach, working under Eberflus, will focus on instilling discipline and making sure players like Leighton Vander Esch and Micah Parsons stay in their lanes while remaining aggressive.

These positional adjustments are a critical part of the overall reorganization. While the Cowboys have talent across the roster, getting the most out of these individual players through better coaching and a more streamlined approach is key to reaching the next level.

Expectations for the Cowboys After the Coaching Overhaul

The restructuring of the Cowboys’ coaching staff comes with high expectations, both from the front office and from fans who are hungry for success. The hope is that the new coaching changes will result in a more balanced, cohesive, and disciplined football team that can perform at its highest level throughout the season and into the playoffs.

One of the biggest expectations is that the Cowboys’ offense will become more efficient and balanced under the new offensive coordinator. Dak Prescott’s development, coupled with better utilization of running backs and offensive line play, will be the primary areas to monitor in 2025.

On the defensive side, the pressure will be on Matt Eberflus to turn a talented but inconsistent defense into one of the league’s best. With playmakers like Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs, and DeMarcus Lawrence, the Cowboys’ defense has the potential to dominate, and Eberflus is the right coach to bring out the best in these players. The defense’s ability to generate turnovers, apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and maintain discipline will determine how far the Cowboys can go in the postseason.

Special teams is another area where improvement is expected. For a team with championship aspirations, every play counts—especially on special teams, where the margin for error is razor-thin.

Renewed Hope in Dallas

The Dallas Cowboys’ decision to reorganize their coaching staff is a clear message to the players, fans, and the entire NFL: they are committed to competing at the highest level and bringing another Super Bowl to the franchise. With new leadership on both sides of the ball and an emphasis on discipline, execution, and balance, the Cowboys are positioning themselves for a brighter future.

The hope is that these coaching changes will spark the Cowboys into a new era of sustained success. As they continue to develop their roster and fine-tune their game plans, Dallas’ Super Bowl dreams are very much alive—especially with a fresh coaching approach that aims to address past shortcomings and build on the team’s strengths.

In the competitive NFC, the road to the top will be tough, but with their reorganized coaching staff, the Dallas Cowboys are primed to make a deep run toward the ultimate goal: a championship. For the first time in a long while, there is renewed optimism in Dallas—and this time, it feels different.