Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Cowboys Get Bad News After Coaching Move

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jan 8, 2026 9:35 PM ET

Defense was a major issue for the Dallas Cowboys this past season. Someone had to take the fall after they finished the campaign with a 7-9-1 record and missed out on the playoffs for the second straight year.

Matt Eberflus has taken the fall for the Cowboys. The front office decided to relieve the 55-year-old of his duties as the team’s defensive coordinator after just one season. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer and the Cowboys brass are now looking for Eberflus’ successor, and they are wasting no time in doing so.

Dallas has already been in contact with a number of candidates as it looks to fill the position swiftly.

The Dallas Cowboys fired Matt Eberflus as the team's defensive coordinator. Daniel Bartel/Imagn Images

According to a report by ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys have already sought permission to interview at least four candidates for the DC opening. Archer reported on Thursday that Minnesota Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Denver Broncos assistant head coach/pass game coordinator and Cleveland Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda are all on their list. The Cowboys have reportedly requested permission from the respective teams to interview all three candidates.

A fourth contender emerged for the DC role in Dallas. Archer also reported that the Cowboys have set their sights on Jeff Ulbrich of the Atlanta Falcons. The bad news for Dallas, however, is that the Falcons have reportedly rejected its request to make contact with Ulbrich.

NFL rules stipulate that teams cannot block interviews for coordinator positions unless it’s a lateral move. Despite the Falcons parting ways with now former head coach Raheem Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot, Ulbrich remains under contract as their DC.

The Cowboys are eyeing Ulbrich for the same position, which means that it’s potentially a lateral move for the 48-year-old. The Falcons are well within their rights to turn down Dallas’ request to interview Ulbrich.

The silver lining for the Cowboys here is that they could still be in the mix for Ulbrich. The Falcons will eventually hire a new head coach and GM, and it’s possible that they will want to move on from Ulbrich.

Depending on how much they want Ulbrich, the Cowboys can wait for that window to open. That is, unless they decide fill the DC role with one of their other candidates before Ulbrich potentially becomes available.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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