Jerry Jones wouldn't affirm Matt Eberflus' security to continue in his job as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator next season.
"I'm not saying anything along those lines," Jones told reporters Sunday when asked if he'd bring Eberflus back next season.
Turns out, there was good reason Jones couldn't say that. Eberflus won't be back.
The Cowboys fired Eberflus on Tuesday morning, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
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He lasted just this one season as Dallas defensive coordinator.
The Cowboys ranked 30th out of 32 NFL teams in total defense, and they were dead last in scoring defense. Their pass defense was the major culprit, also ranking 32-of-32, allowing more passing yardage than any other team in the league.
Dallas likely wasn't helped in that aspect by the late summer trade of Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. A superstar pass rusher like Parsons makes life a lot easier on the secondary, because opposing quarterbacks have to rush their decisions and can't just hold onto the football and wait for guys to get open.
Instead, the Cowboys ended up with a plethora of defensive tackles (Kenny Clark from the Parsons trade, Quinnen Williams from a later Jets trade) and not much defensive talent elsewhere.
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Dallas will choose to let someone else try to mold this mess next season.
Eberflus was previously the head coach of the Chicago Bears from 2022 until he was fired during the 2024 season.
The 55-year old has also coached more than a decade in college and previously with the Browns, Cowboys and Colts in various NFL capacities.
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