Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Report paints dreary picture for Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus

By Ernesto Cova | Last updated Jan 4, 2026 11:35 AM ET

The Dallas Cowboys will close out the season with a meaningless divisional game vs. the New York Giants.

Other than contract bonuses and incentives, Brian Schottenheimer's team will have nothing to play for on Sunday, and plenty of that has to do with their defensive shortcomings.

The Cowboys struggled to keep the opposition away from the end zone, and it ultimately cost them a trip to the playoffs.

That's why it's not much of a surprise to hear that they might be in the market for a new defensive coordinator pretty soon.

Cowboys eyeing changes to coaching staff

According to a report by NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Cowboys are expected to make changes to the coaching staff, and Eberflus will be the "main focus" of those efforts.

Sources: The #Cowboys are expected to make changes on their coaching staff — with the main focus on the defense and DC Matt Eberflus.

There has been dissatisfaction with that side of the ball from ownership all season. pic.twitter.com/DvbjjWMUZf
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 4, 2026

Team owner/GM Jerry Jones has been quite critical of Eberflus this season. Schottenheimer also admittedly had to spend more time working with the defense, and not even acquiring a star DT like Quinnen Williams was enough to solve their issues.

Granted, losing a superstar like Micah Parsons can take a toll on any team's defense, but the lack of adjustments and improvement was a major reason for concern in Arlington.

If Eberflus is dismissed, the Cowboys will have their fourth defensive coordinator in as many seasons. But given the promising signs shown in the first year of the Schottenheimer era, this might be just what the team needs to return to contention.

Ernesto Cova

Ernesto is a bilingual (English-Spanish) sports writer with over eight years of experience covering major leagues such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. Ernesto’s work focuses on providing insightful, up-to-date coverage of sports, blending his expertise in sports psychology with a passion for analyzing player performance, team dynamics, and trade developments across various sports leagues

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