Cowboys eye ex-Bears head coach Matt Eberflus as potential next defensive coordinator

The Cowboys appear to have their eyes on Matt Eberflus.Per a Friday night report from ESPN, the former Bears head coach is a “prime candidate” for the team’s defensive coordinator job.The news comes after the Cowboys promoted Brian Schottenheimer, after two seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator, to replace Mike McCarthy as the team’s next head coach.Eberflus, the Bears head coach from 2022 until his firing late in 2024, was a linebackers coach for the Cowboys from 2011-17.Eberflus’s coaching journey includes a successful tenure as the Colts’ defensive coordinator from 2018-21, where he engineered two playoff-bound defenses.His performance in Indianapolis led to his hiring as the head coach of the Bears.However, after compiling a 14-32 record over two-plus seasons, the Bears parted ways with him in November 2024 after a disastrous loss to the Lions on Thanksgiving.During Eberflus’s initial stint with the Cowboys, he was instrumental in developing standout linebackers such as Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith, both of whom became Pro Bowl honorees.If he is hired for the coordinator role, Eberflus would be tasked with revitalizing a Cowboys defense that struggled in 2024, allowing the second-most points and the fifth-most yards in the league....