FRISCO, Texas – It hadn’t even been 24 hours since the Cowboys had been eliminated from the postseason when the phones at The Star began to ring more hurriedly and consistently.
Some teams without a head coach quickly called to schedule interviews with Dallas defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and others to finish processes that had started a couple of weeks ago with fellow offensive player Kellen Moore.
A few more clubs also dialed to request interviews with attendees, not just coordinators.
“At the end of the day it’s really hard to stop people from taking a head coaching opportunity,” said Stephen Jones, the team’s vice president. “Opportunities are hard to come by. There’s a big difference between being a coordinator and being a head coach. Certainly, we understand. They deserve it.”
The Cowboys had a terrific regular season from the start across all three phases of the game — offense, defense and special teams.
But in particular it was to the defense, where as the season progressed the improvement in all aspects was so evident that it surprised even strangers. From being a historically bad unit for the franchise in 2020, it ended up being one of the best the franchise has seen in over a decade, as well as setting several seemingly unbreakable individual records.
“The turnaround we’ve had to the defense from a player and staff standpoint is the biggest I’ve ever been a part of,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said. “It’s going to be a challenge. You can’t keep everyone. But that’s the era we’re in.”
The Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings interviewed Quinn and Moore on Tuesday, two days after Dallas lost to the 49ers.
On Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings also spoke with Quinn, who also has requests from the Chicago Bears and the division rival New York Giants.
Before, since the last week of December, the Jacksonville Jaguars asked for an interview with him, but he rejected it on the grounds that he wanted to fully concentrate on his work.
The Las Vegas Raiders were the only team without a defined head coach that as of Thursday had not requested an interview with Quinn.
“Dan has already had success as a head coach,” Jones recalled, referring to his time with the Atlanta Falcons, whom he managed from 2015 to 2020 and led to Super Bowl LI in 2017.
For Moore, the situation may be different commanding an offense that began 2021 unstoppable and that during the second half of the season struggled in all aspects, in particular with the run and penalties in an offensive line that fell from level, in an obvious way.
Still, statistically she finished as the best in total yards, passing yards and points scored in team history, as well as leading the NFL in total offense and points, and second in passing.
Moore already had interviews with the Jaguars, Denver and Vikings. He’s about to talk to the Dolphins.
“We have a great relationship with both of them,” Jones said. “We’ll just be working with them as we navigate those waters. And as we do that, we’ll also be thinking about what the future holds for the Cowboys. Obviously that’s going to be first and foremost.”
Other coaches have also sparked interest elsewhere, such as Quinn’s top assistant and former defensive coordinator in Atlanta, Joe Whitt. He will interview with the Seattle Seahawks for that same position.
Whitt would be one of the natural candidates to replace Quinn in Dallas, whose game-day job he held for the Cowboys in the last exhibition game and start of the season due to Covid infection.
On Tuesday, Cowboys offensive consultant Ben McAdoo was interviewed by the Carolina Panthers for the offensive coordinator job.
Reports have pointed to McAdoo as one of Moore’s possible replacements if he leaves Dallas as the head coach of another team.
Coach McCarthy agreed with Jones that they have looked at options and possibilities, in case one of their coordinators or coaches decides to go elsewhere. The only assistant who ends his contract is receiver Adam Henry.
“We’re not here to go backwards,” McCarthy said. “I think the team has a foundation in the locker room to build on in 2022.”
