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Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
If the Dallas Cowboys want to make a move on Denver Broncos defensive passing game coordinator Jim Leonhard to become their next defensive coordinator, they might need to move pretty quickly.
NFL rules state that teams who want to hire another team’s assistant coach — for whatever role — can’t speak to those assistant coaches again until after the Super Bowl if their team advances that far.
That’s a distinct possibility for Leonhard and the Broncos, who are the AFC’s No. 1 seed and host the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game on Saturday.
If Denver wins, it means the Cowboys wouldn’t be able to talk to Leonhard until after Super Bowl LX is played on Sunday, February 8, in Santa Clara, California.
“An important update from the NFL,” Dallas Morning News reporter Joseph Hoyt wrote on X on Tuesday night. “The timeline for assistants targeted to be coordinator hires — like Jim Leonhard — is actually different from HC hires. The Cowboys could talk to Leonhard up until Saturday, but then can’t until after DEN is eliminated.”
Cowboys Interviewed Former NFC Head Coach
DMN’s Calvin Watkins went deeper on the Cowboys’ interest in Leonhard.
The Cowboys interviewed recently fired Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on Tuesday.
“Jim Leonhard, the Broncos’ defensive passing game/assistant head coach, remains on the team’s radar,” Watkins wrote. “Leonhard has conducted a virtual interview with club officials but hasn’t come to Texas for an in-person chat. Leonhard’s team is in the AFC Championship Game and, based on league rules, if he does any in-person interviews, they must conclude by Saturday. NFL teams have Tuesdays off during a game week, and if Leonhard were to visit the Cowboys it likely would have been then. Yet, the team interviewed Gannon. So if Leonhard visits the Cowboys, it might happen late Friday or early Saturday so he could get back to Denver in time for Sunday’s game. Of course, if the Broncos get eliminated from the postseason, he could interview for the Cowboys’ job if it’s still available.”
Gannon at Center of Scandal Over Rule in 2023
Gannon, 43 years old, was hired as Arizona’s head coach after spending 2 seasons as the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and 2022.
Gannon’s tenure with the Cardinals was tinged with controversy from before he even coached his first game. That controversy may have even cost the Eagles a Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs following the 2022 season.
The Cardinals ended up having to pay a fine and swap third round draft picks with the Eagles — giving the Eagles the higher pick — after they were found to have negotiated with Gannon during the impermissible period for contact before the Super Bowl.
Gannon was fired just 3 seasons into his tenure and a 15-36 overall record capped by a 3-14 record this season.
“He never reached the playoffs while also never finishing higher than third in the NFC West,” ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss wrote on January 5. “Arizona went 4-13 in 2023 to finish last in the division and 8-9 last season to finish third. Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort will spearhead the search for a new head coach. Ossenfort and Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill talked last night and then again this morning before informing Gannon that he was being fired.”
Tony Adame covers the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Commanders, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Denver Broncos. A veteran sports writer and editor since 2004, his work has been featured at Stadium Talk, Yardbarker, NW Florida Daily News and Pensacola News Journal. More about Tony Adame
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