Dallas Cowboys ownerJerry Jones said on Wednesdaywhat the outside world has known for some time. The Cowboys need to do better at placing people in positions like their defensive coordinator role that opened up recently.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says they have to do a better job at picking people who they place in positions, like defensive coordinator for example.And this will probably be music to people's ears: he said Brian Schottenheimer will have a major role in that decision.pic.twitter.com/3TA8AzEIGm
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt)January 7, 2026
Jones expressed this sentiment alongside head coach Brian Schottenheimer while speaking to the media on Wednesday. In Schottenheimer's first year as head coach, Dallas finished 7-9-1, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year. This was the first time the Cowboys finished with back-to-back losing records since the early 2000s.
The Cowboys parted ways with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on Tuesday after one season in which the defense was the worst in the NFL, giving up 511 points (30.1 ppg). Dallas finished the year either at the bottom or very close in many defensive statistical categories. So, Jones' unhappiness with the defensive product on the field is not surprising.
This time, coach Schottenheimer will have a "major role" in the selection process for a new defensive coordinator, according to Jones. Schottenheimer more thanearned that privilege after leading the Cowboys' high-powered offense. They finished the year second in total yards (391.9) and seventh in points per game (27.7).
Names like current Minnesota VikingsDC Brian Flores and former Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannonare a couple to watch for Dallas's opening. Eberflus was hired last offseason following a disappointing run as head coach of the Chicago Bears. In three seasons leading the Bears, Eberflus was 14-32 with one of the worst defenses in the NFL each year.
Along with picking a better defensive coordinator this time around,Jones also expressed that his goal is to retire as the NFL owner with the most Super Bowl victories. While his three Super Bowls are more than most, Jones acknowledges that he's got work to do in catching New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft's six Lombardi trophies.
