The 5 best offensive coordinators in the history of the Dallas Cowboys

Dallas Cowboys fans were skeptical when Mike McCarthy decided to take over play-calling from longtime offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in the 2023 offseason. While the offense looked clunky to start, McCarthy proved to be an upgrade over Moore.

Finding a great offensive coordinator is no small task. In today's NFL, innovative offensive minds are paramount to team success. The Cowboys are fortunate enough to have that in their head coach, but McCarthy needs to hold the job for at least a few more seasons if he's ever going to warrant consideration for the best offensive coordinators in franchise history.

The 5 best offensive coordinators in Dallas Cowboys history

5. Kellen Moore

Say what you will about Kellen Moore, but the Cowboys' offense was consistently elite under his predecessors Scott Linehan, Bill Callahan and Jason Garrett. The year before Moore was promoted to offensive coordinator, Dallas ranked 22nd in points per game and yards per game. They jumped to sixth and first in both categories, respectively, in Moore's first season as OC in 2019.

Trading for Amari Cooper made Moore's life easier, but there was a noticeable change in Dak Prescott's confidence after Moore took over for Linehan. Prescott missed all but five games in Moore's second season, but the offense bounced back in 2021 to the tune of ranking first in points and yards per game.

The group regressed in 2022, but still finished 11th in yards and fourth in points in Moore's final season despite a lackluster wide receiver room. Moore wasn't perfect but he was a revelation for the Cowboys offense when he was promoted from quarterbacks coach to OC.

4. Ernie Zampese

The Cowboys experienced a seismic and unwanted transition in 1994 after Jimmy Johnson stepped down as head coach amid a dispute with team owner Jerry Jones. That same offseason, offensive coordinator Norv Turner agreed to become Washington's head coach. Zampese replaced Turner.

Zampese studied under Turner with the St. Louis Rams before he was promoted to Cowboys offensive coordinator and he helped Dallas win Super Bowl XXX. Zampese enjoyed great success calling plays his first two years in Dallas. They finished second and third in points in 1994 and '95, respectively, as well as eighth in fifth and yards.

While Zampese inherited one of the greatest offenses ever assembled, he deserves credit for keeping the group humming after Johnson and Turner's departure.

3. Jim Myers

Myers is the longest-tenured coach or assistant in Cowboys history other than Tom Landry, who happened to be his boss. Myers held many a title under Landry. He started out as the offensive line coach before he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 1970, a position he held through the 1976 season.

Under Myers, the Cowboys' offense never finished outside the top 10 in points scored. More impressive is that they never finished worse than fourth in total yards in his seven years calling plays. Dallas topped the NFL in points and yards in 1971, which happens to be when they won their first-ever Super Bowl.

Landry gets most of the credit for the Cowboys' incredible run from the mid 1960s to early 1980s, but Myers deserves his flowers as well.

2. Norv Turner

Hiring Turner as offensive coordinator to replace David Schula was one of Jimmy Johnson's most underrated moves as Cowboys head coach. Turner transformed the offense in his first year on the job.

In 1990, the year before Turner's arrival, Dallas' offense ranked 26th in points, 28th in yards, 25th in first downs and 17th in turnovers. The very next season, they jumped to seventh in points, ninth in yards, eighth in first downs and fifth in turnovers.

From that point, the Cowboys were a top-three offense under Turner and they won consecutive Super Bowls in 1992 and '93 with Turner as OC. His success with Dallas was virtually unprecedented, as his only coaching experience prior to being hired by Johnson was as the Rams' tight ends and wide receivers coach.

1. Dan Reeves

It was tough to pick between Norv Turner and Reeves, but the latter had a longer stint as the Cowboys' offensive coordinator. During Reeves' four-year reign (1997-1980), Dallas made two appearances in the Super Bowl, including one title. Even in their SB loss to the Steelers, Reeves' offense put up 31 points.

The Cowboys ranked first in points scored in 1978 and 1980 under Reeves. They scored the second-most points in 1977 and they never ranked worse than fifth in points scored while Reeves called plays.

It made Reeves' job easier that he had Roger Staubach under center and Tony Dorsett in the backfield, but we've seen teams with star-studded talent over the years fail to meet expectations because of poor coaching. It was only a matter of time until Reeves landed a head coaching job in 1981.

The top 5 offensive coordinators in Cowboys history by games coached: