Report: Matt Eberflus a 'prime candidate to join Dallas Cowboys staff

On Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Cowboys are promoting offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach. Shortly after the announcement, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler followed up with a report, claiming that former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus will be a candidate for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator opening.

“Sources consider former #Bears defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus a prime candidate for the #Cowboys defensive coordinator job under new coach Brian Schottenheimer, per sources,” Fowler wrote on X. “Eberflus was a Cowboys assistant from 2011-17.”

Eberflus was the Cowboys’ linebackers coach from 2011-15 while simultaneously serving as a passing game coordinator during his final two years with the team.

In the 2017 season, Eberflus’ linebacker unit helped the Cowboys rank No. 8 in total defense (318.1 yards per game) and rushing defense (104.0 yards per game). The team also boasted the No. 11 passing defense (214.1 yards per game).

Eberflus has spent the past three seasons as the Chicago Bears’ head coach. During Eberflus’ time at the helm of the organization, the Bears posted a 14-32 record. They never reached the playoffs under Eberflus.

The Bears fired Eberflus after the team went 4-8 through the first 12 games of the 2024-25 campaign. He is the only Bears head coach that has ever been fired mid-season.

Eberflus was heavily criticized for failing to maximize the talent of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Additionally, Eberflus received criticism for several instances of questionable clock management.

Of course, as a defensive coordinator, Eberflus wouldn’t have to worry about such issues. While Eberflus would undoubtedly hope to bring a winning culture to Dallas if the team hired him, he’ll need his players to have a similar mindset. He won’t have any issues motivating star EDGE Micah Parsons.

“As one of the leaders of this team, I’m gonna be looking forward to accepting all challenges and embrace whatever comes to help lead my team to a championship. We gotta move on,” Parsons said after the Cowboys parted ways with Mike McCarthy. “We can’t think about the past. … There are no setbacks. Some of the greatest players learn to adjust.

“… At the end of the day, coaches can only do so much. Us as players, we got to build a winning culture. I said we’re gonna hold the [Super Bowl] trophy because I believe in our guys.”