Cowboys’ Next Head Coach: Eagles’ OC Kellen Moore Emerges as Top Candidate

When news broke that the Dallas Cowboys were officially going to say goodbye to Mike McCarthy after failing to agree to a new deal with the Super Bowl-winning coach, fans immediately started to hypothesize about which coach could lead “America’s Team” next.

Deion Sanders? Those whispers grew to an incredible roar with a few tweets from NFL experts. Legendary tight end Jason Witten? That’s apparently an option too, as he’s been a force in the high school ranks.

But one name that ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter brought up is one Cowboys fans know very well, as he went from their backup quarterback to leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a 2-0 record against Big D in 2024: Kellen Moore.

That’s right, discussing Dallas’ options ahead of the Wild Card Round’s edition of Monday Night Football, the NFL Insider noted that Moore will be a a name to watch for his impressive work in Philly and his connection to the franchise.

“Obviously it’s just new, it’s just beginning we’ll see where that brings them. A lot of names floating around out there,” Schefter said via SI. “I think in time, they could have some level of interest in the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore. Potentially maybe Jason Witten, an all-time franchise great, but this is very early on, very preliminary. And we’ll see ultimately where Jerry Jones goes with this search but the Cowboys are now in the market for a new head coach.”

Goodness, between Sanders, Moore, and Witten, is Jones only considering candidates that he already has in his phone? Or does familiarity mean something to the 82-year-old agent, who has been stuck in NFL no man’s land for longer than many of his players have been alive? Either way, while Sanders and Witten are unconventional options to say the least, Moore is at least a current NFL coach who has received other head coaching interview requests, including from the New Orleans Saints.

Does Moore make sense back in Dallas? That depends; the team already let Moore go once, in 2023 before he landed with the Los Angeles Chargers, and he certainly has some explaining to do regarding the Eagles’ unique offense, as he’s overseen a team that ranks at the bottom of the NFL in passing attempts and has a generational talent in Saquon Barkley leading the rushing game. Still, considering he’s been able to work with multiple different coaches and has adapted his offense in each scheme, maybe he could be the person who can take Dak Prescott to the next level, as if anyone knows what the Pro Bowler likes and doesn’t like, it’s his back up quarterback out of Boise State.