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The hiring of Brian Schottenheimer as the new head coach of the Dallas Cowboys came as a surprise to many people, especially considering other higher-profile coaches showed interest in the position. According to ESPN, one such coach was Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. Moore’s team will play in the NFC Championship Game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday.
“Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, a former Cowboys player and the former OC in Dallas, was believed to covet the job and there is surprise in league circles that Dallas didn’t wait to explore that possibility more fully,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported. “According to sources, Moore did well in his virtual meeting with the club. Perhaps timing hurt his candidacy since the Eagles remain alive in the playoffs.”
In his first season as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator, Moore’s Eagles finished in the top 10 in yards per game and points per game. They finished as the second-leading rushing attack in the NFL, boosted by a historic season from running back Saquon Barkley. Barkley exploded for 2,005 rushing yards during a regular season that saw him chase the all-time rushing yards mark set by Eric Dickerson in 1984 with the Los Angeles Rams.
Schottenheimer, who didn’t call plays for Dallas during Mike McCarthy’s tenure as head coach, quickly rose to the top of Jerry and Stephen Jones’ wishlist. This was believed to be due to his relationship with Cowboys’ quarterback Dak Prescott. Prescott agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract extension with Dallas before the 2024 season, making his comfort level with the next head coach a top priority.
Moore is no stranger to Dallas. After the Eagles drafted Moore following a 50-3 career record at Boise State in college, the Cowboys signed Moore to their practice squad in 2015. He spent three seasons with the team before retiring as a player in 2018.
In the same year, Moore caught on as the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach under head coach Jason Garrett. From there, the Cowboys quickly promoted Moore to offensive coordinator in 2019. When McCarthy arrived to replace Garrett in 2020, the new coach retained Moore and the two worked together for the next three seasons. Moore and the Cowboys mutually agreed to part ways in 2022.
Moore is still expected to be a contender for the open New Orleans Saints head coaching position, though the timeline will likely depend on whether the Eagles advance to the Super Bowl.
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