Even though he doesn't call plays, it's hard to understate the impact that offensive coordinator Klayton Adams had on the Dallas Cowboys' offense. If Brian Schottenheimer is Batman, you could argue that Adams is Robin, or even Alfred in the way that he's incredibly under-appreciated here.
After his presence at the NFL's accelerator program for future head coaches, Cowboys fans could soon be faced with a dire realization: Klayton Adams could soon leave for a head coaching gig. But before he does that, he likely needs to land an offensive coordinator job where he'll actually call plays.
And Adams nearly got some interviews. The Philadelphia Eagles requested to speak with him for their OC vacancy, but Dallas blocked the request. They weren't letting a valued assistant coach join a hated division rival, so the Eagles landed on hiring a different first-time play-caller in Sean Mannion.
Klayton Adams broke his silence on Cowboys blocking Eagles' OC interview request
You'd think the 43-year-old would be bummed at the prospect of missing out on a job opportunity with better career advancement. Three of the last six Eagles' OCs went onto become head coaches, but in an interview with Ari Meirov, Adams revealed he gets why the Cowboys blocked the request.
"I understand why the Cowboys felt the way that they did, and I have a lot of respect for Nick [Sirianni]," Adams said. "He gave me my first opportunity in the league. None of it is surprising. None of it is disappointing, It’s just the way the business works. I’m extremely happy to be where I’m at. My kids go to really good schools, my wife is very happy living here, and I get to be the offensive coordinator of the Dallas Cowboys when I wake up in the morning.”
He mentioned his first NFL opportunity came on Nick Sirianni's offensive staff in Indianapolis back in 2019. He spent two seasons working under Sirianni before he got the Eagles' head coaching job, but Adams spent another two years with the Colts before becoming the Cardinals' offensive line coach.
Of course he's still grateful for Sirianni. Adams wouldn't be an OC in Dallas right now if not for the opportunity he gave him. It helped open the door for his NFL coaching future, and he's rose up the ranks quickly enough that it took him just a half-decade to get hired as an offensive coordinator.
However, he made it clear that he loves working with the Cowboys. He mentioned his wife and kids are happy living in Dallas, and he seems to be happy where he's at. So even though it was a major missed opportunity, Klayton Adams has a plenty bright future if he stays with Dallas long-term.
Add us as a preferred source on Google