The funny part about the NFL’s coaching carousel is that the chaos doesn’t stop once teams hire new head coaches. If a team’s defensive coordinator lands a head-coaching job elsewhere, guess what? That team suddenly risks losing even more staffers who want to follow them to their new gig.
The Dallas Cowboys learned this the hard way when Dan Quinn left to become the Washington Commanders' head coach in 2024. You probably remember Quinn taking Cowboys defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. to be his DC.
Now, it's happening all over again with Mike McCarthy, who is now the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers after Mike Tomlin shockingly stepped down after 18 seasons.
McCarthy still has ties to Dallas' coaching staff, and Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS has reported that Cowboys assistant offensive line coach and quality control coach Ramon Chinyoung is set to join McCarthy's staff as the running backs coach.
Former Cowboys offensive line coach Ramon Chinyoung has joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as the running backs coach under Mike McCarthy, per source.
— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) January 29, 2026
Congrats to Chinyoung. https://t.co/XOQD5KRuNU
Mike McCarthy poaches Cowboys assistant OL coach Ramon Chinyoung
Chinyoung, who just wrapped his third season with the team, was one of the hidden gems on Dallas’ staff. While current OL coach Conor Riley deserves credit for his work in Year 1, Chinyoung was widely respected behind the scenes. This is a sneaky-big loss for the Cowboys' offensive line.
The loss of Chinyoung is a reminder of how many coaches fly under the radar despite being crucial to a team's success. Beyond the head coach and main coordinators, most of the spotlight is already spoken for, leaving secondary assistants, trainers, and strength and conditioning coaches overlooked despite their impact.
Members of the Cowboys' offensive line have praised Chinyoung for what he's meant to their development.
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This is undoubtedly a setback -- albeit not a large one -- for a group whose oldest member is right tackle Terence Steele, who turns 29 in June. Pro Bowl left guard Tyler Smith, left tackle Tyler Guyton, and center Cooper Beebe are all 24, and right guard Tyler Booker, who already looks like a future star, is only 21.
McCarthy has been in the NFL since 1993, starting as a quality control coach with the Chiefs. He eventually rose to offensive coordinator with the Saints in 2000 before spending 13 seasons as the Packers’ head coach beginning in 2006.
The former Cowboys head coach has connections everywhere you look. Hopefully, he starts using them to round out the rest of his staff so Dallas doesn’t lose any more hidden gems.