The Dallas Cowboys' playoff hopes became a pipe dream after an awful special teams performance against the Detroit Lions. Much to fans' chagrin, Dallas allowed more than 100 kickoff return yards to Tom Kennedy and Jacob Saylors combined, making it clear that change was needed.
Well, an NFC foe just ripped away a perfect shot for the Cowboys to end the Nick Sorensen experiment. Longtime special teams coordinator Danny Smith just signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after 13 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Smith has served more than 30 years as an assistant coach and is known for his enthusiasm, along with chewing an impressive amount of gum. But if you put the Double Bubble jokes aside, Smith is a successful coach who’s being described as a “home run hire” for Tampa Bay.
That could've been the Cowboys, but Jerry Jones missed out.
Cowboys miss out on chance to grab veteran ST coordinator Danny Smith
The Steelers have been involved in some ugly games over the years, but Smith’s special teams units often swung outcomes in Pittsburgh, including in the playoffs.
Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was coached by Smith for his entire career up to this point, and he’s now the sixth-most accurate kicker in NFL history, right behind Brandon Aubrey. Not that Aubrey needs much help in the field goal department, but with a coach like Smith, he could have reached even greater heights in situational special teams play.
Trent Sieg, Bryan Anger, and Brandon Aubrey form one of the NFL’s most reliable special teams trios, with both Anger and Aubrey earning multiple Pro Bowl selections. Kickoff coverage, however, is where the Cowboys must place a greater emphasis this offseason.
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The loss in Detroit was a rare time that fans blasted a coach more than just Matt Eberflus, which is no small feat. Field position was a disaster, and the Lions fully capitalized on Dallas' awful coverage.
To add insult to injury, KaVontae Turpin was brutal on kick and punt returns this season. He looked indecisive after an All-Pro campaign in 2024, often walking up returns instead of sprinting into holes. You can't help but wonder if better coaching would have led to better efficiency for Turpin.
It appears the Joneses aren’t planning to make any changes on special teams and will stick with Sorensen. That’s not the end of the world, but the Cowboys did miss out on the opportunity to add an accomplished special teams coach in Danny Smith.