So … the Divisional Round of the playoffs did not go how Dallas Cowboys fans would have hoped as the NFC Championship Game will be an all NFC East affair after the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia Eagles won their respective matchups.
It will be Dan Quinn versus Kellen Moore, who is the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. You simply could not have drawn up a more nightmarish matchup for Cowboys fans.
Either the hated Eagles will make their third Super Bowl in eight years or Quinn’ will take Washington to the big game in his first year as head coach with a rookie quarterback to boot. Again, that is the stuff nightmares are made of.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, don’t have a head coach and embarrassed themselves along the way before moving on from Mike McCarthy.
Rumors of both the concerning and uplifting variety have emerged and fans are worried Jerry Jones will force certain assistants – like Jason Witten – on whomever they hire as head coach.
That is looking increasingly likely after a recent rumor.
Rumor hints Cowboys may reunite with a failed head coach this offseason
According to Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan, it’s possible former Cowboys defensive assistant Matt Eberflus ends up back in Dallas.
Eberflus, of course, was fired by the Chicago Bears after a tumultuous head coaching tenure that culminated on Thanksgiving with one of the worse clock management sequences in recent NFL history.
Eberflus predictably was handed his walking papers after that disaster, though he arguably lost the locker room beforehand. He compiled a 14-32 record in three years and, to our knowledge, has not received any head coaching or coordinator interest this hiring cycle.
While Eberflus overstayed his welcome in Chicago, bringing him back to Dallas makes a lot of sense, especially if the Brian Schottenheimer buzz is as legit as it appears.
He served as the team’s linebackers coach for seven seasons from 2011 to 2017 and by all accounts did a nice job.
Eberflus parlayed that into becoming the Colts’ defensive coordinator in 2018, holding that title for four years before the Bears hired him as their head coach in 2022.
He became a laughingstock this season and was clearly in over his head as a head coach, but it wasn’t long ago he was considered one of the best defensive assistants in the league.
The Colts finished top-10 in points allowed in three of his four seasons as defensive coordinator.
They finished top-10 in rushing yards allowed and takeaways in all four years, including two top five finishes in the later category in 2020 and ’21, respectively.
It remains to be seen what role Eberflus would have on the coaching staff if he returns. Maybe a return to coaching up the linebackers is in play.
What we do know is Belt wouldn’t share this info if it wasn’t being discussed inside The Star so keep it on your radar.
