Much of the discourse around the Cowboys’ head coaching vacancy has been dominated by Deion Sanders. While it remains to be seen how willing the Colorado coach and owner Jerry Jones will be to move forward with such a hire, other names are worth watching.
Former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is on Dallas’ interview list. He will speak with the team today before ultimately turning his attention back to the Eagles’ upcoming divisional round game. Moore vastly outranks longtime Cowboys tight end Jason Witten in terms of time spent on the sidelines, but his name has also been floated with respect to the HC gig or at least another spot on Dallas’ staff.
Taking things one step further, Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports both Moore and Witten are considered to have a strong chance at being hired by Jones. The former quickly transitioned from his quarterback career to the sidelines, serving as the Cowboys’ QBs coach in 2018. He was promoted to offensive coordinator one year later and held that title for four seasons. With then-head coach Mike McCarthy taking on play-calling duties in 2023, Moore moved on to the Chargers for one year before winding up in his current Eagles posting.
Philadelphia’s passing efficiency has been a talking point for much of the season, but the team’s strong rushing attack played a big role in the current run to Round 2 of the playoffs. Moore, 35, also has an interview lined up with the Jaguars today and another with the Saints tomorrow for their respective HC positions.
Witten’s “realistic shot” (as Pauline terms it) to succeed McCarthy is notable given his inexperience as a coach. The 11-time Pro Bowler retired in 2018 but wound up returning to play two more seasons before hanging up his cleats for good. Since then, his four years leading Liberty Christian School in Texas (which includes a pair of state championships) represent the extent of his coaching tenure. As NFL Network’s Jane Slater notes, Witten has been in contact with Jones recently and was set to be part of Dallas’ 2025 coaching staff in the event McCarthy had remained in place (video link).
Such a setup could very well have set Witten up as a potential successor to McCarthy, but now that the team will be going in another direction it remains to be seen what will happen on that front. Slater notes Jones’ affinity for Witten, 42, could still land him a position of some kind on the team’s coaching staff. Jumping from his current situation all the way to an NFL HC position would remain surprising regardless of how Jones views his other options.
Pauline’s sources note that Sanders is not viewed as being a true contender to land the position at this point. The Hall of Famer corner is not considered ready to handle a head coaching gig in any market, they add. If Jones agrees with that assessment, Moore and Witten’s respective candidacies will increasingly become worth monitoring.
Courtesy of PFR’s head coaching search tracker, here is an updated breakdown of where things stand with the Cowboys:
- Bill Belichick, head coach (North Carolina): Mutual interest would have existed
- Leslie Frazier, assistant head coach (Seahawks): To interview 1/20
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): To interview 1/17; strong contender?
- Robert Saleh, former head coach (Jets): To interview
- Deion Sanders, head coach (Colorado): Discussions commenced; no deal expected
- Jason Witten, head coach (Liberty Christian School): Strong contender?
Witten would be a ludicrous choice, but elderly billionaires who *definitely* aren’t slipping sure love hiring people they had already heard of twenty years ago.
The Cowboys have become a comedy of errors so a more appropriate choice than Witten might be Leon Lett.
A bad OC and a high school coach are in the running? Good luck ‘Boys fans.
It sorta feels like reverse Rooney Rule. Everyone knows he wants D Sanders, but has to interview some white dudes.
I don’t think JJ wants a head coach around who demands more of the spotlight than him.
It doesn’t matter who they hire to be Jerry’s next puppet, they’re not gonna win the Super Bowl next year, but they’ll still sweep the Giants…
That’s all they’re gonna do.
The next coach will be Kellen Moore. Someone Jerry Jones can shove around, hire and fire Kellen’s assistants, and meddle all he wants with no push back.
Dave Wannstedt said on Chicago radio that McCarthy left because JJ would not let him have autonomy over his own coaching staff. JJ has to play with his toy moreso than any other owner. This is why the Cowboys will never win another Super Bowl in JJ’s lifetime.
How many white guys can one owner hire as head coach before it’s fair to comment about it? Especially if he hires a white guy with no coaching experience?
Well, you see, if you want to hire on “merit” you have to hire a white guy or else it’s a DEI hire.
Not saying this excuses anything, but don’t forget that there are also several other NFL franchises that haven’t ever hired an African American HC either. Witten would not be a great choice at all, but I wouldn’t put it past Jerry to pull something like that just because he can.
Did the Cowboys learn no from watching Jeff Saturday coach the Colts? Beloved players with no coaching experience do not make strong head coach candidates.
“Pauline’s sources note that Sanders is not viewed as being a true contender to land the position at this point. The Hall of Famer corner is not considered ready to handle a head coaching gig in any market, they add. If Jones agrees with that assessment, Moore and Witten’s respective candidacies will increasingly become worth monitoring.”
In what world is Witten considered more ready to handle a NFL head coaching job than Sanders? Not that I think Sanders should get the job but at least he has HC experience at a P5 school.
Three seasons at the FCS level is also significantly more experience than Witten.
96mnc, I listen to the Cowboys flagship radio station, 105.3 The Fan, here in Dallas every day. This morning, the guys were talking about how Jones is “enamored ” with the idea of Sanders being head coach. They went on to talk about Deion’s perspective being open to the idea and, everyone close to Deion was pushing him to go for it.
Current odds are:
Kellen Moore -125
Deion Sanders +175
Robert Saleh +300
Brian Schottenheimer +500
Ben Johnson +700
Kliff Kingsbury +850
Joe Brady +850
Aaron Glenn +850
Liam Coen +1000
Steve Sarkisian +1200
Jason Witten +1200
Leslie Frazier +1200
Brian Flores +1200
Bill Belichick +1200
I like several candidates here, Sarkisian, Brady, Johnson, Shotty… but I think Jerry will roll out some form of Moore/Witten or Sanders/Witten
Glenn, Frazier, Flores are pure window dressing for JJ so he can say he met the “Rooney rule.”
Frazier yes. The other two are legitimate options and should be interviewed this cycle.
HC-K Moore
DC-Salah
TE Coach-Witten
The Cowboys Dream Team!!!
Salah is tipped to return to San Francisco as its DC.
I hope when Witten takes the podium at his introductory press conference , he talks about biting elbows and taking chunks out. At least 12 times he has to say “we’re gonna be the toughest team at __ “
Given his MNF stint, I’d be surprised if he could say anything that cogent. He’s functionally illiterate.
You mean the “head puppet” position
Remember a few years ago when Kellen Moore was the Dallas OC and after the first few games his offense was on fire ? He was then looked at as the next most sought after HC candidate. Then the new broom sweeps clean theory hit. After some work the broom just is like all the others. His offense went soon and so was his popularity How many jobs has he had since ? Look how hot Russell Wilson stated out ? New brooms sweep clean ( For awhile )
Can someone explain how Moore can have interviews Friday and Saturday before his team plays in a playoff game but Ben Johnson can’t have any interviews until the Lions bye week?
I mean the Eagles played last week and Detroit was on a bye, yet Moore can interview this week and Johnson has to wait until they are on another bye (or eliminated)?
Robert De Niro played a coach in a movie once. Maybe he can interview.
He’s nuttier than a squirrel turd, but he’s not doing anything else.
Did you mean Al Pacino? Statement stands, though.
My mistake. I always get Pacino and De Niro mixed up. And for some reason Paul Newman and Steve McQueen in some movies.
That’s funny, I actually do the Newman/McQueen thing too.
I’m out finally with Jerry and his moronic decisions ..if he goes with witten.. not liking Kellen either but atleast he’s been in the nfl in some capacity as a coach