The Matt Eberflus experiment was such a disaster that Dallas Cowboys fans would have celebrated just about anybody the team hired as his replacement. That said, there was widespread fear that Jerry and Stephen Jones would defer to old habits and hire a former head coach with whom they have a preexisting relationship.
To everyone's surprise, Dallas settled on Eagles defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Christian Parker. While Brian Schottenheimer deserves the bulk of the credit, the Joneses also deserve recognition for empowering their head coach and staying out of the way.
It's been a minute since a Cowboys hire received universal praise, but Parker bucked that trend. Even former Eagles can't help but acknowledge that Dallas got a gem.
ON ESPN's NFL Live, former Eagles cornerback Darius Slay revealed that he had to "meditate" when the news broke because he was so sick over Parker agreeing to join the Cowboys
"Man, I had to text my book quick," Slay said. "I had to meditate for a second. That's my guy, man. Christian Parker, he's a great coach, but he hurt my feelings when he went to the Cowboys."
Darius Slay's reaction to Cowboys stealing Christian Parker from Eagles says it all
A three-time Pro Bowler with the Eagles, Slay is a class act through and through. But this is Cowboys-Eagles we're talking about. Fans of America's Team will gladly take every ounce of frustration and sadness Parker's departure creates in Philadelphia.
Slay's reaction is yet another reminder that the Cowboys landed a special coach. The NFL has embraced a youth movement in recent years, but that doesn't diminish Parker becoming the youngest defensive coordinator in franchise history at just 34 years old. Coaches don't earn opportunities of that magnitude at such a young age unless they've built an exceptional reputation.
This will be Parker's eighth NFL season, but his ascent has been remarkably fast.
He broke through in 2019 as a defensive quality control coach for the Green Bay Packers. Just two years later, the Denver Broncos hired him to coach their defensive backs. Along the way, he sharpened his craft under respected defensive minds like Mike Pettine, Ejiro Evero, Vance Joseph, and most recently, Vic Fangio.
Having spent the last two years under Fangio in Philly, Fangio's influence should be evident in Parker's scheme. But don't mistake that for imitation. The 34-year-old will put his own stamp on the unit, layering in tweaks that reflect his own philosophy and coaching style.
The Eagles may still have Fangio leading their defense, but it speaks volumes that losing Parker crushed everyone in Philadelphia.
If the city is this distraught now, imagine how they'll feel if Parker turns Dallas' defense into one of the league's best. Cowboys fans would gladly settle for an average unit after last season, but the reactions from Philadelphia will only get louder if Parker lives up to the hype.
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