For all intents and purposes, the Dallas Cowboys' season is over. Barring Dallas winning out and Philadelphia losing out, the final three games will be about evaluating players and coaches for 2026, with defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus alone atop the list.
Jerry Jones was noticeably frustrated following the Cowboys' loss to the Vikings, and he took that frustration to 105.3 The Fan, where he eviscerated the defense. That came after Jones intimated that Eberflus has the rest of the season to save his job.
Following a conversation with Brian Schottenheimer, Eberflus will call the defense from the coaching booth for the rest of the season. It's the first time that Eberflus, who's coached from the sideline all season, will coach from the booth since the 2009-2010 season when he was coaching the Browns' linebackers.
With that decision, the Cowboys may have revealed the in-house favorite to potentially replace Eberflus if he's let go after the season: defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton.
Cowboys clearly like what they have in DL coach Aaron Whitecotton
In light of Eberflus moving to the booth, the Cowboys have tabbed Whitecotton to spearhead the defensive adjustments that are communicated from above. That's a major responsibility for Whitecotton in addition to coaching up the defensive line.
Granted, Eberflus’ reluctance to make in-game adjustments is a major reason Schottenheimer deemed the move upstairs necessary. Even so, it’s telling that the team is comfortable entrusting that communication to Whitecotton.
Whitecotton spent the last four years as the Jets' defensive line coach. It speaks volumes that the Cowboys were able to hire him away in a lateral move. While New York had just hired a new head coach, Whitecotton was highly regarded in the Jets' building. Fans did not want to lose him.
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Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, who came over from the Jets, credits Whitecotton for his ascension into one of the NFL's premier interior defenders.
With New York, Whitecotton oversaw breakout seasons from edge rushers Bryce Huff, Will McDonald, and Jermaine Johnson. The Jets were top 12 in pressure rate and top 8 in sacks every year under Whitecotton.
Perhaps the most compelling part of Whitecotton's background is that he worked under Robert Saleh with the 49ers and the Jets. Saleh is regarded as one of the top defensive minds in the league, and he was Cowboys fans' top choice to replace Mike Zimmer before the team hired Eberflus.
Whitecotton may ultimately be best suited as a defensive line coach, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s among the first to interview for the defensive coordinator job should Eberflus be fired.