The first name that drew widespread attention after McCarthy’s departure was Deion Sanders. But three others are getting interviews.
DALLAS — An NFL coaching search might be enough to make your head spin. Who are the top candidates? Who’s being interviewed? Who is merely having “discussions” about the job?
Mix in Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, and well, it’s a lot to keep up with. Jones and Co. are looking for a replacement for Mike McCarthy, after the two sides announced they’re going their separate ways after five seasons.
The first name that drew widespread attention after McCarthy’s departure was Deion Sanders. Jones apparently has talked with Sanders about the job. But Sanders surely won’t be the only candidate in the mix.
With that said, we’re keeping track of the latest update on the search for the next Cowboys coach here:
Who are the Cowboys interviewing?
Multiple reports surfaced Wednesday, Jan. 15 that the Cowboys are planning to interview Robert Saleh, the former New York Jets coach who was fired earlier this season. Reports on Jan. 15 also indicated that the Cowboys are interested in interviewing Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. Then, on Thursday, Jan. 16, WFAA’s Joe Trahan confirmed that the Cowboys requested an interview with Eagles offensive coordinator (and former Cowboys offensive coordinator) Kellen Moore.
On Friday, the team announced it had completed a virtual interview with Moore for the position. On Saturday afternoon, the team announced it had completed an in-person interview with Robert Saleh. On Monday, the team announced it had completed an in-person interview with Leslie Frazier.
On Tuesday, Jan. 21, WFAA Cowboys Insider Ed Werder reported that Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer was being interviewed for the head coaching position.
Those are the only four names that have been specifically linked to actual interviews with the Cowboys, so far.
Here’s a little bit about each guy:
Robert Saleh: A wildly successful defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, Saleh took the Jets job before the 2021 season. His Jets defense was consistently among the best in the NFL, but Saleh’s squad struggled from bad quarterback play (some of the worst in the league, in fact). Aaron Rodgers was expected to fix that problem in 2023, but he got hurt in the season opener and the Jets went 7-10 for a consecutive season. A 2-3 start in 2024 got Saleh fired. Still, Saleh is widely respected across the league, especially for his defensive acumen, and his ties to the 49ers’ run of success doesn’t hurt, either.
Leslie Frazier: Frazier is a good example of the Cowboys looking beyond (or completely outside of) the pool of popular candidates this coaching cycle. Frazier, 65, has been a good defensive coordinator wherever he’s coached, including in Seattle and before that, in Buffalo. He was also the Vikings head coach from 2011-2013, and led Minnesota to the playoffs in 2012. But he was fired the next season, after going 5-10-1.
Kellen Moore: Moore, obviously, has familiarity with the Cowboys organization as the offensive coordinator under Mike McCarthy from 2019 to 2022. Moore and the Cowboys mutually agreed to part ways in 2023, and the former Boise State quarterback was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers. Moore spent one season there and moved to the Philadelphia Eagles this season.
Brian Schottenheimer: Schottenheimer has been the Cowboys offensive coordinator for the past two seasons (2023, 2024) after coming to Dallas from the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he served as their passing game coordinator. He’s also been the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks (2018-2020), St. Louis Rams (2012-2014), and New York Jets (2006-2011).
Is Deion Sanders a candidate for the Cowboys job?
Shortly after McCarthy and the Cowboys went their separate ways, word surfaced that Jerry Jones had talked with Deion Sanders about the job. The extent of those conversations aren’t really known. Was it an interview? A brief chat? Regardless, Sanders even being in the mix at all is noteworthy, even if him getting hired is unlikely. He’d have to be lured away from a good position at Colorado, where, unlike with the Cowboys, his skill as a recruiter would be on full display. The Cowboys would also have to pay a buyout to Colorado, rumored to be around $8 million. And Dallas would likely be faced with a decision at quarterback, with Sanders’ son, Shedeur, expected to be among the top picks at the position in this year’s draft. Trading Dak Prescott would mark a massive shift in the organization, and a pretty expensive salary cap hit.
Still, NFL insider Ed Werder on Thursday posted on X that Sanders would “almost certainly accept” the Cowboys job, if Jones offered, and that Jones “is enamored with the idea.”
What other candidates could coach the Cowboys?
The list of speculated candidates for the Cowboys job is a long one, in no particular order:
- Former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten
- Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn
- Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady
- Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury
- Former Raiders/Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden
- Former USC/Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was also in the mix for the Cowboys job but was hired by the Chicago Bears as their next head coach, reports confirmed. Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian was also among the rumored names, but he signed an extension with Texas to remain in Austin.