The Dallas Cowboys entered 2025 believing their roster was built to contend. They finished it staring at defensive numbers that demanded accountability. With Matt Eberflus already out and a familiar coordinator search underway, Dallas once again finds itself weighing experience, authority, and fit as it looks for answers on the defensive side of the ball.
Stephen A. Smith Pushes Rex Ryan As Dallas Searches for Defensive Reset
As the Cowboys begin sorting through options, one familiar voice believes the answer is hiding in plain sight. ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith used his Mad Dog Sports Radio show to advocate for the Cowboys to hire former NFL head coach Rex Ryan as their next defensive coordinator.
“I think they should hire Rex Ryan from ESPN,” Smith said. “I think Rex Ryan should be your defensive coordinator in Dallas…I believe that Rex Ryan would do what Vic Fangio is doing in Philadelphia.”
Smith argued that Ryan’s reputation as an accountability-driven coach is exactly what a defense coming off a disastrous season needs. Dallas finished 32nd in scoring defense and last in PFSN’s NFL Defense Impact Metric with a 62.1 score and a D- grade.
“Rex Ryan is one of the elite defensive minds in football,” Smith continued. “And Jerry Jones should hire him as the new defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. Not just because of his football acumen, but also his personality. Because he’ll get in people’s a**! He’ll get in people’s a** and hold them accountable.”
The idea fits a recent pattern for the Cowboys. Over the past decade, Dallas has consistently leaned toward former head coaches to run its defense. Rod Marinelli, Mike Nolan, Dan Quinn, Mike Zimmer, and, most recently, Eberflus all fit that mold. With head coach Brian Schottenheimer operating as an offensive-minded head coach, the organization has repeatedly tried to stabilize the other side of the ball by handing it to a veteran voice.
Ryan certainly qualifies on that front. A former head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, he built his reputation on aggressive, pressure-heavy defenses and led top-five units earlier in his career.
He has not coached in the NFL since 2016 and has not been a defensive coordinator since 2008, which raises obvious questions about scheme evolution and adaptability in a league that has changed dramatically.
Despite their awkward past with the Jets, Ryan wants to coach again in the NFL and is interested in reuniting with Schottenheimer. However, Ryan’s prominent personality and attention-seeking tendencies mean clear boundaries would be essential for the partnership.
Dallas is expected to explore a wide range of options, including current coordinators and former head coaches. Whether Ryan is a serious candidate or simply a lightning rod for debate, the conversation itself underscores where the Cowboys are.