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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones
The Dallas Cowboys are coming off one of the team’s worst seasons in recent memory, as the storied franchise couldn’t get the job done despite having one of the best offenses in the NFL.
The primary reason for the Cowboys’ struggles was the defense, as defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who was recently fired by the team, couldn’t figure out how to get the most out of his players after the shocking trade of Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers.
Jerry Jones Reveals Why Christian Parker is New Cowboys DC
GettyJerry Jones, Owner, President & GM, Dallas Cowboys
With the defense needing to be addressed heading into the NFL offseason, there was a lot of speculation about who team owner and general manager Jerry Jones would go after as his next defensive coordinator.
Ultimately, Jones chose an unexpected direction, bringing in Christian Parker, formerly of the division rival Philadelphia Eagles. Parker is 34 years old, the youngest defensive coordinator in Cowboys history, and he has no experience calling defensive plays.
Jones recently explained the reasoning behind the move to hire Parker to be Eberflus’ replacement in Dallas, via Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News.
“I spent a lot of time looking at the past, when I look at the coaching situation, a lot of times,” Jones said. “I do that on everything, frankly, that I can get my hands on. I’m not trying to be philosophical, but I did less of whatever I’ve been doing [in the past] and a lot more of what I am doing in this process.”
A bit of a strange way to describe the decision to hire a young and inexperienced new defensive coordinator, but Jones did admit that things haven’t worked in the past and that he didn’t want to change his way of thinking about bringing on new coaches.
“When you’re set up the way I am, that old mirror, that self-evaluation really is appropriate and has to be done,” he said. “My way of doing things doesn’t work if I don’t change. I’m not successful, then I haven’t [changed]. There’s no other way.”
The hiring of Parker is definitely a risk and something that Jones might regret a year from now. However, it also could be a stroke of genius and a sign of things to come for the Cowboys franchise.
Cowboys Expected to Franchise Tag George Pickens
GettyGeorge Pickens #3 of the Dallas Cowboys
One of the few bright spots for the Cowboys during the 2025 campaign was the emergence of veteran newcomer George Pickens, who quickly became one of Dak Prescott‘s favorite targets in the passing game.
Pickens had the best season of his career in Dallas and was a breakout star for the Cowboys, which has led the team to want to keep him by placing a franchise tag on the Pro Bowler, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Dallas Cowboys are expected to place their franchise tag on Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens, league sources told ESPN.
There’s no question that Pickens proved his worth to the Cowboys’ brass and, as a result, potentially has a long future ahead catching passes from Prescott while playing alongside fellow star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.
The Cowboys will be able to apply the franchise tag to Pickens anytime between Feb. 17 and March 3, but the tag undoubtedly is coming, if for no other reason than to serve as a placeholder for the start of negotiations designed to keep him in Dallas.
Ryan Ward is a longtime credentialed writer covering the NBA and NFL. He has over 15 years of experience in the sports industry from writing, editing, social media management and podcasting. He has covered the Lakers and Raiders for Medium Large Sports, with a previous stint at ClutchPoints. Ward is a Los Angeles native from the United Kingdom, who now resides in Colorado.
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