Matt Eberflus has a new job.
The Cowboys hired the ex-Bears head coach to be their defensive coordinator on Tuesday, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Eberflus spent parts of three seasons in Chicago, going 14-32, before being fired in late November after a 4-8 start to the 2024 campaign.
He replaced longtime Dallas defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who was expected to retire from football.
Eberflus spent seven seasons with the Cowboys from 2011-17, serving as the franchise’s linebackers coach and pᴀssing game coordinator.
He took a defensive coordinator job with the Colts before the 2018 season, spending three years there before becoming the Bears’ head coach.
Eberflus is the Cowboys’ first big hire after naming Brian ScH๏τtenheimer the team’s new head coach.
ScH๏τtenheimer, who has been Dallas’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, replaced Mike McCarthy, who parted ways with the team earlier this month.
The ScH๏τtenheimer hire has been a controversial one in Dallas, so much so that owner Jerry Jones defiantly defended the decision during his new coach’s introductory press conference on Monday.
“I get my proverbial ᴀss kicked over needing people in my comfort zone,” Jones told reporters. “Without this thing being about me in any way, if you don’t think I can’t operate out of my comfort zone, you’re so wrong it’s unbelievable.
“This is as big a risk as you can take. As big a risk as you can take. No head coaching experience.”
The Cowboys are coming off a nightmare 2024 season in which they went 7-10 after major injuries on both sides of the ball.
Eberflus will be tasked with revitalizing a Dallas defense that struggled this season, allowing the second-most points and the fifth-most yards in the NFL.
Coming into the year, the Cowboys had won 12 games in three straight seasons, making the playoffs each year, although they won only one playoff game during that period.
