FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys held a virtual interview on Friday with Kellen Moore, who is currently the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. This marks the initial formal step in the search for a new head coach following the departure of Mike McCarthy earlier this week.
Moore has a solid connection to the Cowboys, having served as the play-caller for Dallas during the years 2019 to 2022. This period includes the first three years of McCarthy’s five-year coaching term before Moore transitioned to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023. Recently, the Cowboys and McCarthy mutually agreed to part ways, prompting the search for a new leader.
As a former backup quarterback, Moore played behind Dak Prescott in 2017 and was promoted to his position coach the following year. Under his guidance, the Eagles’ offense has thrived and notably featured Saquon Barkley as just the ninth running back in NFL history to achieve an impressive 2,000 rushing yards in a season. The Eagles are poised to face the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round this upcoming Sunday.
In addition to Moore, the Cowboys are planning to meet with two previous NFL head coaches, Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier. Saleh, who was let go by the New York Jets after just five games into his fourth season in 2024, is seeking a return to coaching. Frazier, currently the assistant head coach for the Seattle Seahawks, previously led the Minnesota Vikings as head coach for over three years about a decade ago.
Dallas owner and general manager, Jerry Jones, has also engaged in informal discussions with Deion Sanders, the head coach at Colorado. Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback, spent five seasons with the Cowboys and played a pivotal role in securing the team’s last Super Bowl victory at the end of the 1995 season. Since then, the Cowboys have not progressed past the divisional round of the playoffs.
There has also been speculation around Jason Witten, an 11-time Pro Bowl tight end who holds numerous franchise records, potentially stepping into a coaching role. Witten has been involved in coaching at a private school in the Dallas area since he retired for the second time following the 2020 season.
