Cowboys expected to hire former Bears coach Matt Eberflus as new defensive coordinator, per report​on January 27, 2025 at 4:31 pm

The Dallas Cowboys stayed in-house for their new head coach, promoting Brian Schottenheimer as Mike McCarthy’s successor. They’re welcoming a former head coach from outside the building to aid Schottenheimer, however, with plans to hire Matt Eberflus as the defensive coordinator, per NFL Media.

Eberflus, who spent most of the last three NFL seasons as the Chicago Bears‘ head coach, is traveling to Dallas on Monday for an official interview, according to Tom Pelissero, and barring a last-second reverse of course by Cowboys brass, he’s expected to be named Schottenheimer’s top defensive assistant.

Eberflus’ anticipated new job in Dallas marks a homecoming for the longtime assistant, as he previously spent seven seasons working for the Cowboys, first as linebackers coach (2011-2015), then as the passing game coordinator (2016-2017) under former head coach Jason Garrett.

The 54-year-old Eberflus was dismissed as Bears coach in November, ending his tenure in Chicago with a combined record of 14-32. He helped oversee a top-15 scoring defense in 2024, however, and led the Bears to finish the 2023 campaign ranked No. 12 in total defense. Prior to his time in Chicago, Eberflus was responsible for guiding three top-10 defensive finishes in four years as the Indianapolis Colts‘ coordinator.

In Dallas, he replaces Mike Zimmer, the former Minnesota Vikings head coach who served as McCarthy’s defensive coordinator in 2024. Zimmer, 68, was in his second stint in that role.