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The Dallas Cowboys added Charlie Bullen to the defensive coordinator list.
The Dallas Cowboys‘ pursuit of a new defensive coordinator to replace the fired Matt Eberflus has continued to widen, and now includes two in-division candidates–reports on Wednesday say that Dallas has sought interviews with Christian Parker, the Eagles’ defensive backs coach/passing game coordinator, and Charlie Bullen, who was the Giants’ interim defensive coordinator this season.
According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafalo, the request for Bullen was granted.
Garafalo originally wrote on Twitter/X, “A name that’s come up a few times as a defensive coordinator candidate for prospective head coaches: Charlie Bullen. The #Giants’ defense with him as interim DC improved in many areas — points, yards, takeaways, etc. The league noticed and he’s firmly a DC candidate for 2026.”
Garafalo then pointed out that the Cowboys requested an interview, and finished with, “Doubling back here. No block. Bullen is free to interview with the #Cowboys.”
Cowboys Add Charlie Bullen, Christian Parker to Interview List
The Cowboys also added Parker to their list of candidate interviews, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Schultz wrote on Twitter/X: “Sources: The #Cowboys are requesting permission to interview #Eagles DBs coach and pass-game coordinator Christian Parker for their vacant DC job. Parker, who has been coaching since age 22, has received DC interviews in the past and has been a key part of Vic Fangio’s defenses. Both Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell were named first-team All-Pro under Parker’s coaching this past season.”
That brings the total herd of Cowboys candidates to eight, with a ninth–the Falcons‘ Jeff Ulbrich–having been requested but denied by the team. There’s a chance that Ulbrich could be allowed to pursue the job in time.
Assistants Among Early Candidates
The other candidates represent a wide range of possibilities.
Initially, the team conducted interviews with lesser-known candidates like Broncos assistant Jim Leonhard, plus Minnesota pass game coordinator Daronte Jones and Cleveland safeties coach Ephraim Banda. The Cowboys are not giving out grades after the interviews, of course, but after Leonhard’s interview, media chatter held that he could be the favorite.
But the net was widened since. The Cowboys have ex-Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon also on their list, as well as popular current Cowboys defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton. The team also has interest in former Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr.
GettyDallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer.
Cowboys Looking for a ‘Teacher’
As for just what the Cowboys are looking for, that is still somewhat fungible. Owner Jerry Jones has a history of hiring former head coaches as his coordinators, and intimated at least week’s season-ending press conference that he likes “redemption” stories. But Jones said–and the interview list reveals–that the team is not honing in on former head coaches.
Only Gannon so far fits that bill.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer said teaching is the most important aspect for him:
“A teacher … Someone that’s a great teacher, a great communicator… I’m full of energy, and love what I do. I think someone that is passionate about football.
“The ability to take what’s complicated information, what we ask our players to do in all three phases is complicated. We want guys that can say complicated information in a simple manner. And if I say something to you that you don’t understand, I need the ability to say it in a different way, because how you learn may be different.”
Sean Deveney is a veteran sports reporter covering the NBA, NFL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has written for Heavy since 2019 and has more than two decades of experience covering the NBA, including 17 years as the lead NBA reporter for the Sporting News. Deveney is the author of 7 nonfiction books, including “Fun City,” “Before Wrigley became Wrigley,” and “Facing Michael Jordan.” More about Sean Deveney
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