Blogging The Boys
Dallas has put in interview request for multiple defensive coordinator candidates within their division.
And now there are eight.
The Dallas Cowboys requested two new defensive coordinator candidates to interview on Wednesday, a person familiar with the situation told The Dallas Morning News, in Philadelphia Eagles defensive passing game coordinator Christian Parker and Charlie Bullen, who finished the season as the interim defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
Parker, 34, has been with the Eagles the last two seasons. He helped lead a secondary that played a significant role in the team’s Super Bowl win last year. Parker spent three seasons in Denver as the team’s defensive backs coach prior to joining the Eagles. Vic Fangio, the current defensive coordinator of the Eagles, originally brought Parker to Denver before bringing him to the Eagles, as well. There should be intrigue about the idea of plucking a young disciple of one of the best defensive minds in the league.
Bullen, 41, has been with the Giants the last two years, as well, serving as the team’s outside linebackers coach before he was promoted to interim coordinator after the Giants fired Shane Bowen, the previous defensive coordinator, in late November. The Giants allowed an average of 21 points per game under Bullen’s direction, including 17 in the season-ending win over the Cowboys.
Keep up to date with all the defensive coordinator search and rumors here.
The Cowboys clearly have a type when it comes to their defensive coordinator search so far.
The Dallas Cowboys are taking their time with their defensive coordinator hire, and for good reason. Some candidates on their radar are still going through head coaching interviews and one many consider a favorite is still competing in the NFL playoffs—Jim Leonhard from the Denver Broncos.
But as we wait, there’s one thing we’ve learned from their search. The Cowboys are favoring defensive coaches with a specific background, and it happens to be one that fits with one of the team’s biggest weaknesses: The secondary.
Cowboys favoring DB coaches
Five out of eight candidates the Cowboys are known to be considering have a background of coaching defensive backs. Out of the six coaches with no coordinator experience at the NFL level on their interview list, four coach defensive backs (and three are currently passing game coordinators). The two exceptions are in-house candidate and defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, and New York Giants linebackers coach Charlie Bullen (who was interim DC in 2025).
As for the only former NFL head coach on the list so far, Jonathan Gannon, he rose through the NFL ranks coaching defensive backs...
