Firing Matt Eberflus was the easiest decision Jerry Jones will make all offseason. That said, the painfully obvious hasn’t always been so obvious to the Dallas Cowboys’ owner.
This doesn’t mean Jones will suddenly get out in front of contract extensions, but firing Eberflus just two days after the season ended suggests he’s operating with a greater sense of urgency than in recent years
It also might reflect that Brian Schottenheimer had a bigger influence than fans think. While Jones has the final say as general manager, Cowboys insider Bobby Belt of 105.3 The Fan believes it was Schottenheimer who wanted to get it done quickly, and that Schottenheimer will make the hire.
"The Joneses like to drag these things out, and they like to look at it," Belt said. "I think the fact that it happened this quickly was because Schotty said 'He (Eberflus) needs to go, and I need to figure who's going to be here doing this.'
And I think it's going to be Schotty's hire. I think whoever they bring in here, whoever they settle on, it will be ultimately, 'Schotty, you good with this? This is who you like?' And when he gives it the thumbs up, that's who they're hiring."
Cowboys letting Brian Schottenheimer wield power in DC search changes everything
Absolutely could not run it back in 2026.
— Bobby Belt (@BobbyBeltTX) January 6, 2026
I think they'll take about 7-10 days to go through their interview process, and I bet they have a hire by the end of next week.
This will be Brian Schottenheimer's hire. https://t.co/kIULaNlovN
It’s no secret that Matt Eberflus was a Jerry Jones hire. Reports surfaced even before the Chicago Bears fired Eberflus that the Cowboys had interest in making him their defensive coordinator. It’s now clear that the Joneses forced that marriage.
Jerry Jones will be heavily involved in the search for Matt Eberflus’ replacement. His ego has never allowed him to stay completely hands-off. That said, it changes everything if Jones truly follows through on stepping back and allowing Brian Schottenheimer to handle the heavy lifting.
READ MORE: Cowboys already linked to best DC imaginable after firing Matt Eberflus
Schottenheimer was given full jurisdiction to hire his offensive staff, and after just one season, it’s clear he nailed it.
Hiring Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator was one of the best moves made by any team. The offensive line made significant strides under new coach Conor Riley, who previously served as Kansas State’s offensive coordinator.
Jerry Jones ultimately has more blood on his hands than Matt Eberflus for why the defense was so disastrous in 2025. Things deteriorated to the point where Brian Schottenheimer had to spend time in defensive meetings, which pulled focus away from the offense. Have we mentioned that Micah Parsons was traded right before the start of the season?
While the season ended just 48 hours ago, Jones seems to be operating with a level of seriousness Cowboys fans are not used to. It cannot be overstated how imperative it is that Schottenheimer is leading the search for Eberflus' replacement.