Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Cowboys Lose Coach After Just One Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Jan 26, 2026 9:42 PM ET

The Dallas Cowboys promoted Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach ahead of the 2025 season. Schottenheimer served as offensive coordinator for the Cowboys for two seasons before he took over in the wake of Mike McCarthy’s firing.

The Cowboys did not do much better this season under Schottenheimer, though. They finished the campaign with a 7-9-1 record, as opposed to 7-10 in 2024. Despite the slight improvement in their standing, the Cowboys missed the playoffs for a second straight year.

One of the inaugural members of Schottenheimer’s staff is defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton, who has now decided to move on after just one season in Dallas.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian SchottenheimerKirby Lee-Imagn Images

Whitecotton joined Schottenheimer’s coaching staff ahead of the 2025 season. The Cowboys recruited him from the New York Jets, where he had served as the DL coach for the previous four years.

Whitecotton played a key role in the Jets’ defensive line emerging as one of the best in the league. Under his watch, the Jets ranked third overall in total defense in 2023 and fourth overall in 2022.

Whitecotton is credited with helping develop defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, who was named to the All-Pro first team in 2022, along with four straight Pro Bowl appearances. The Cowboys traded for Williams mid-season, reuniting him with Whitecotton in Dallas.

Given his credentials, it was not surprising that Whitecotton drew serious interest from opposing teams after his lone season with the Cowboys. On Monday, news broke that Whitecotton has accepted the role of run game coordinator and defensive line coach with the Tennessee Titans.

As reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Whitecotton will reunite with Robert Saleh in Tennessee after the latter was recently named as the Titans’ new head coach. Whitecotton and Saleh previously worked together with the Jets when Saleh was the head coach.

The #Titans are hiring Aaron Whitecotton as the new Run Game Coordinator/DL coach, a promotion. Whitecotton had multiple DC interviews this cycle and his unit was top 5 in QB hits last season. Robert Saleh secures a big-time coach for their defensive front. pic.twitter.com/iWIL2q9jyo
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 27, 2026

This is a significant blow for the Cowboys. The organization, however, could not prevent this unfortunate development from unfolding. Whitecotton is getting promoted with the Titans, which means Dallas is unable to block the move.

The Cowboys recently hired Christian Parker from the Philadelphia Eagles as the team’s new defensive coordinator. Parker is the successor of Matt Eberflus, who was fired after just one season as the Cowboys' DC.

Parker’s coaching staff is going to look much different from what it did last season. Apart from Whitecotton, three other coaches were let go by the organization. Secondary/cornerbacks coach David Overstreet II, defensive passing game coordinator/safeties coach Andre Curtis and linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi have all been fired.

The Cowboys will now need to fill the vacancies in their coaching staff, with crucial attention required in finding Whitecotton’s successor.

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

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