Updated Jan. 20, 2026, 8:02 p.m. CT

The Dallas Cowboys are in the market for a defensive coordinator, and 2026 just happens to feature some of the most proven and respected candidates in the league today. Yet, to the chagrin of many, the Cowboys have not scheduled interviews with either one of them.

Brian Flores from Minnesota and Jim Schwartz from Cleveland are masters of their profession. The two coordinators have years of sustained success on their resumes. They are former head coaches, and they are connected enough to effortlessly build staffs. But a link between them and the Cowboys has yet to be made.

Coming off a historically poor year where the Cowboys defense struggled in almost every conceivable way, finding a great coordinator is a must. With the 32-year-old Dak Prescott operating at the peak of his profession, the window of opportunity is now. The Cowboys need a coach to hit the ground running and have no time for the growing pains that often accompany an unproven DC.

So why the lack of interest?

Bryan Broaddus recently broached the subject on his Love of the Star podcast and floated his own ideas on the matter. He plainly stated what many have been hearing for weeks; that both coaches are being considered for head coaching positions. Flores has most often been linked to Las Vegas while Schwartz is now being looked at to take over in Cleveland.

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After years of rivalry, Schwartz isn’t the most likeable option for the Cowboys, but he might be the option that would deliver the quickest results. His scheme isn’t as sophisticated as Flores’, and he could probably work wonders with the Cowboys collection of talent. But outside of fan circles, his name hasn’t come up much so he may not be an option at all.

Flores, on the other hand, has been linked for weeks. Dallas has shown an appreciation for his scheme because they’ve interviewed his top assistant, Daronte Jones. It wouldn’t make much sense to interview Jones if they didn’t like the scheme he was coaching or the mentor he was understudying, after all. Although Broaddus had a pretty scathing theory on that matter,

“This is my gut feeling…,” Broaddus prefaced on his Love of the Star podcast. “I don’t think Jerry Jones wants to pay Brian Flores what he’s worth.”

While pure speculation, Broadus’ gut feeling seems to track. The Cowboys don’t like to spend any more than they have to on their coaching hires so it’s perfectly possible they see a Flores underling as a more cost-efficient option with more bang-for-the-buck value.

Regardless of speculation, as long as Flores and Schwartz are in the head coach conversation, they won’t be entertaining the Cowboys DC job. Neither coach can afford to turn down a HC spot because there are no assurances that they’ll ever get the chance again.

For the time being, young and upcoming candidates like Christian Parker, Jim Leonhard and Jones will headline the list. And that’s not a bad thing.

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