Cowboys Clips
The Cowboys have requested an interview with Packers defensive line coach/run game coordinator DeMarcus Covington for their defensive coordinator position, Josina Anderson reports.
Covington, 36, joined the Packers before the 2025 season, coaching a unit that includes former Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons. Covington was the Patriots’ defensive coordinator in 2024.
He spent eight seasons in New England, serving as a coaching assistant (2017-18), outside linebackers coach (2019) and defensive line coach (2020-23) before his promotion under Jerod Mayo. The Patriots fired Mayo after one season.
Covington won a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots.
The Cowboys also have requested or have interviewed Eagles pass game coordinator Christian Parker, Giants interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen, former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and their own defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton.
The Cowboys are interviewing Eagles defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Christian Parker on Wednesday, the team announced.
Parker becomes the eighth candidate in Dallas’ search for a defensive coordinator.
The Cowboys fired Matt Eberflus on Jan. 6.
Parker has spent the past two seasons in Philadelphia working under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The Eagles have finished as a top-10 defensive unit against the pass with Parker on staff.
After several college jobs, Parker landed his first role in the NFL with the Packers as a defensive quality control coach in 2019.
After two seasons in Green Bay, Parker joined the Broncos as the defensive backs coach.
The Cowboys also have requested or have interviewed Giants interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen, former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and their own defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton.
The Cowboys are interested in speaking to a coach from a division rival as part of their search for a new defensive coordinator.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that they have requested an interview with Giants interim defensive coordinator Charlie Bullen. Bullen took over the coordinator responsibilities when the Giants fired Shane Bowen in November.
Bullen joined the Giants as their outside linebackers coach in 2024 and held that job until his midseason move up the hierarchy. The Giants closed out the season with a few of their best defensive performances and the Cowboys’ interest in speaking to him suggests that others took notice of those efforts.
Bullen spent a year at Illinois before joining the Giants. He’s also spent time with the Dolphins and Cardinals.
Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland missed the final three games of the regular season because of a left foot injury and he went for a repair on Tuesday.
The Cowboys announced that Bland had surgery in Indianapolis. It’s the second time in two years that Bland has had surgery on his left foot. Bland also dealt with a right foot injury during the season.
Bland played in 12 games during the regular season. He had 73 tackles and his sixth career interception return for a touchdown in those appearances. The other five scores came when Bland was named an All-Pro in 2023.
Bland signed a four-year extension before the 2025 season and will now head into the first year of that pact.
All teams would prefer to have a quiet offseason, except when they hope to make some noise. The Cowboys have made a little noise at a time when they would have liked to make none.
Defensive Donovan Ezeiruaku was arrested over the weekend for reckless driving in Collin County Texas, via Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.
Ezeiruaku was released from custody on Monday after posting $500 bond.
Per Watkins, the Cowboys said on Monday night that they are aware of the arrest.
A 2025 second-round pick from Boston College, Ezeiruaku appeared in 17 games with nine starts as a rookie. He had 2.0 sacks.
Former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon is almost certain to have a job in 2026. The questions are: What job and where?
Gannon will interview for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator job on Tuesday, the Commanders’ defensive coordinator job on Thursday and the Titans’ head coaching job on Sunday, NFL Media reports.
The Cardinals fired Gannon last week after three seasons as the team’s head coach.
The Cardinals had a record of 15-36 in Gannon’s tenure, including a 3-14 record in 2025. While Arizona started the season 2-0 with victories over New Orleans and Carolina, the team lost 14 of its last 15 games, with the only victory coming against Dallas in Week 9.
The club’s high-water mark under Gannon was 8-9 in 2024. That came after a 4-13 season to open Gannon’s tenure in 2023.
Gannon earned his head coaching job after two seasons as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. He has also worked for the Falcons, Titans, Vikings and Colts, although his time with the Eagles is his only experience as a defensive coordinator.
The Cowboys are scheduled to interview former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon for their open defensive coordinator position, Clarence Hill of All City DLLS reports.
They also requested an interview with Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr, per Hill.
The Cowboys also want to interview Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and their own defensive line coach, Aaron Whitecotton.
Gannon spent the past three seasons as the Cardinals’ head coach. He earned that job with his two seasons as the Eagles’ defensive coordinator.
He also has worked for the Falcons, Titans, Vikings and Colts, though his time with the Eagles is his only experience as a defensive coordinator.
Orr is a Dallas-Fort Worth product who played collegiately at the University of North Texas. He spent the past two seasons as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, his only experience calling the defense.
This season, the Ravens were 24th in total defense, 30th in passing defense, 18th in scoring defense, 30th in total sacks and 18th in takeaways.
Orr and Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer coached together with the Jaguars in 2021.
The Cowboys will interview defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton for their vacant defensive coordinator position, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports.
The Cowboys have also requested Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones and Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard.
Whitecotton joined Matt Eberflus’ staff a year ago, his first season in Dallas.
He spent the previous four seasons in the same position on the Jets’ staff. He also coached for the 49ers, Bills, and Jaguars before joining Robert Saleh’s staff with the Jets.
It would be a surprise if the Cowboys chose to promote Whitecotton, considering the struggles of the defense. Dallas ranked last in points allowed in 2025, giving up a team-record 511 points.
But the Cowboys traded edge rusher Micah Parsons just before the start of the season.
The Dolphins apparently are pleased with the efforts of consultant Troy Aikman, as it relates to their search for a General Manager.
Via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Hall of Fame quarterback and ESPN game analyst will continue to serve as an advisor in the process of searching for a head coach.
Obviously, the Dolphins didn’t have a head-coaching vacancy when Aikman was first retained. They now do. The fact that Mike McDaniel was fired this week serves only to bolster speculation that Aikman’s advice included making a change — especially given his frank and sharp criticism of McDaniel’s handling of the fourth quarter of a Week 15 Monday night game against the Steelers.
And while the blatant Tom Brady conflict of interest as Raiders minority owner (and now close collaborator with G.M. John Spytek regarding the Las Vegas football operation) and Fox NFL broadcaster has stretched the rubber band far enough to include less problematic dual-hat situations, Aikman’s role in the hiring of a new G.M. and head coach in Miami will give him a vested interest in the success of the Dolphins based on the advice he was paid to provide. Which will undermine, if only a bit, his objectivity throughout the tenure of G.M. Jon-Eric Sullivan and whoever becomes the successor to McDaniel.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett set the single-season sack record during the 2025 season and he also became one of three unanimous choices for the Associated Press All-Pro team.
All 50 voters selected Garrett as one of their choices at edge rusher in this year’s voting. Those voters also unanimously selected Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua and Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba for this year’s first team.
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford got the nod over Drake Maye at quarterback, which opens up the possibility of a split with MVP for the second straight season. Stafford got 31 votes while the Patriots quarterback got 18 with Bills quarterback Josh Allen getting the other one.
Stafford joins kicker Gary Anderson as the only players to be named a first-team All-Pro for the first time in their 17th season or later.
The full All-Pro teams appear below:
First team
Offense
Quarterback — Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Running Back — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Fullback — Kyle Juszczyk, San Francisco
Wide Receivers — Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams; Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle; Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati
All Purpose — Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco
Tight End — Trey McBride, Arizona
Left Tackle — Garrett Bolles, Denver
Left Guard — Joe Thuney, Chicago
Center — Creed Humphrey, Kansas City
Right Guard — Quinn Meinerz, Denver
Right Tackle — Penei Sewell, Detroit
Defense
Edge Rushers — Myles Garrett, Cleveland; Will Anderson Jr., Houston; Micah Parsons, Green Bay
Interior Linemen — Jeffery Simmons, Tennessee; Zach Allen, Denver
Linebackers — Jack Campbell, Detroit; Jordyn Brooks, Miami
Cornerbacks — Derek Stingley Jr., Houston; Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia
Slot cornerback — Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia
Safeties — Kyle Hamilton, Baltimore; Kevin Byard, Chicago
Special Teams
Placekicker — Will Reichard, Minnesota
Punter — Jordan Stout, Baltimore
Kick Returner — Ray Davis, Buffalo
Punt Returner — Chimera Dike, Tennessee
Special Teamer — Devon Key, Denver
Long Snapper — Ross Matiscik, Jacksonville
Second team
Offense
Quarterback — Drake Maye, New England
Running Back — James Cook, Buffalo
Fullback — Patrick Ricard, Baltimore
Wide Receivers — George Pickens, Dallas; Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit; Chris Olave, New Orleans
All Purpose — Bijan Robinson, Atlanta
Tight End — Kyle Pitts, Atlanta
Left Tackle — Trent Williams, San Francisco
Left Guard — Quenton Nelson, Indianapolis
Center — Aaron Brewer, Miami
Right Guard — Chris Lindstrom, Atlanta
Right Tackle — Darnell Wright, Chicago
Defense
Edge Rushers — Brian Burns, New York Giants; Danielle Hunter, Houston; Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit
Interior Linemen — Leonard Williams, Seattle; Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh
Linebackers — Devin Lloyd, Jacksonville; Ernest Jones IV, Seattle
Cornerbacks — Patrick Surtain II, Denver; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle
Slot cornerback — Derwin James, Los Angeles Chargers
Safeties — Jessie Bates III, Atlanta; Talanoa Hufanga, Denver; Xavier McKinney, Green Bay (Hufanga and McKinney were tied for the second-team spot)
Special teams
Placekicker — Brandon Aubrey, Dallas
Punter — Michael Dickson, Seattle
Kick Returner — Kavontae Turpin, Dallas
Punt Returner — Marcus Jones, New England
Special Teamer — Del’Shawn Phillips, Los Angeles Chargers
Long Snapper — Andrew DePaola, Minnesota
