The Dallas Cowboys will soon introduce their 10th coach in franchise history, and owner Jerry Jones believes this is the right person to lead the team to its first Super Bowl since 1995. However, Jones is coming off a frustrating weekend.
While the Cowboys interviewed Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Friday, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh on Saturday, and were preparing to meet with Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier on Monday, Jones watched as the Washington Commanders and Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship Game.
Washington and Philadelphia, the Cowboys’ main rivals, are now one step away from the Super Bowl. The Cowboys, after finishing with a 7-10 record in 2024, seem far from a Super Bowl appearance.
Washington’s win over the Detroit Lions was especially difficult for Jones to stomach, as the Cowboys now have the longest championship game drought in the NFC at 29 years. Washington, on the other hand, is heading to its first NFC title game since 1991. Only the Cleveland Browns (1989) and Miami Dolphins (1992) in the AFC have longer championship game droughts.
Washington’s success is even more frustrating for the Cowboys because the Commanders have several former Cowboys figures involved, including head coach Dan Quinn, defensive coordinator Joe Whitt, and players like Tyler Biadasz, Dorance Armstrong, Dante Fowler Jr., and Noah Igbinoghene.
Jones had worked hard to keep Quinn as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. He made Quinn one of the highest-paid defensive coordinators in the league and even considered promoting him to head coach over Mike McCarthy. However, the Cowboys’ loss to the Green Bay Packers in last year’s wild-card round, where the defense played poorly, showed that both Quinn and McCarthy had their issues.
The Commanders’ turnaround came with new ownership and a new quarterback, rookie Jayden Daniels, but Quinn has the team in a position they haven’t been in since before the Cowboys’ Super Bowl wins in the 1990s. The last time Quinn was in this position as a head coach was in the 2017 season when he took the Atlanta Falcons to Super Bowl LI.
Meanwhile, the Eagles are just 60 minutes away from their third Super Bowl appearance since 2017. They have built their roster through smart drafting, savvy moves, and salary cap management.
Their high-paid players, including quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, wide receivers, and offensive linemen, have put them in position to compete for another Super Bowl.
For Cowboys fans, it’s hard not to wonder what they would do to be in the Eagles’ position.
For now, the Cowboys will hope their next head coach is the one to bring them back to the Super Bowl. They are hoping for more success than they had with their last six head coaches: Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett, and McCarthy.
Kellen Moore’s history with the Cowboys as a player, assistant coach, and offensive coordinator gives him a strong candidacy, especially with his relationship with quarterback Dak Prescott. Saleh’s interview on Saturday impressed many, though he may have other head coach or defensive coordinator opportunities elsewhere. Frazier had a tough run as the Minnesota Vikings’ head coach, but he remains respected in the league.
One potential silver lining for Dallas is that Washington’s victory now allows the Cowboys to request interviews with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. They were unable to speak with them during Detroit’s bye week, but with the Lions’ season now over, they can move forward.
Johnson might be a top candidate for head coach positions in Las Vegas or Chicago, so he could already have a deal lined up with those teams. Glenn, who played cornerback for the Cowboys, helped patch together Detroit’s defense despite numerous injuries in 2024, though his team struggled against Daniels and Washington’s offense.
There’s also the possibility the Cowboys might wait for Kliff Kingsbury to become available. Jones has mentioned in the past that he likes Kingsbury, the former Texas Tech and Arizona Cardinals coach. The Cardinals have not made the playoffs since Kingsbury’s departure, but Jones might consider giving him a second chance as head coach, just as the Cowboys once gave Quinn that opportunity.
For now, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys are left watching as their NFC East rivals fight for a Super Bowl berth—a goal that’s eluded Dallas for almost three decades.
