When Matt Eberflus was hired this past January to replace Mike Zimmer as the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator, the move legitimately seemed like a smart one.
Sure, Eberflus didn't have much success during his short-lived run as the head coach of the Chicago Bears, going just 14-32 before being fired with five games remaining in the 2024 season. But his history as a defensive assistant was hard to ignore.
And that history, of course, included seven seasons in Dallas, a stint during which he helped develop Sean Lee into one of the league's top linebackers before moving on to become the defensive coordinator of the Indianapolis Colts, with whom he also thrived, which is obviously why he got the big job with the Bears in the first place.
But Eberflus' return to the Cowboys clearly hasn't gone the way the franchise hoped it would, as Dallas heads into its season finale with the New York Giants ranked 30th in total yards allowed per game (376.8) and dead last in points allowed per contest (29.8).
Naturally, countless conversations have been had about Eberflus being fired once the season concludes, and an intriguing name has emerged as a possible replacement, as it was reported this week that the Cowboys could be "firmly in play" for current Minnesota Vikings DC Brian Flores.
Former Cowboys cornerback Stephon Gilmore, who spent several seasons with Flores as a member of the New England Patriots and reunited with him last year with the Vikings, caught wind of the report and took to his X account to give his thoughts on what Flores coming to the Cowboys could mean.
If cowboys hire Flores they will instantly become playoff contenders next year.
— The Gilly Lock (@BumpNrunGilm0re) December 29, 2025
Not everyone will agree with Gilmore's opinion, but Dallas would undoubtedly benefit if Flores came to town.
The addition of Brian Flores could obviously do wonders for the Dallas defense
A season ago, Flores' defense was one of the big reasons the Vikings went 14-3 during the regular season, as Minnesota ranked fifth in points allowed, surrendering just 19.5 per game, and tied for the league lead in takeaways with 33.
And despite some significant turnover during the offseason, the Vikings have continued to have one of the top defenses in the NFL, ranking in the top 10 in total yards allowed, scoring, and takeaways.
Truth be told, Minnesota has basically been Dallas this season, only in reverse. The Cowboys, as mentioned above, have one of the worst defenses in the league but have one of the top-ranked offenses. The Vikings, on the other hand, have one of the top defenses in the league but one of the worst offenses.
There's no guarantee the Cowboys will have all of the same offensive weapons next season, but if Dak Prescott & Co. can come even close to the numbers they put up this year, and Dallas can bring in Flores, America's Team, as Gilmore says, will be legit contenders to win the NFC East. Sorry, haters, but it's true.
Even with Eberflus' dreadful schemes and abysmal play-calling, the Cowboys were right there in the mix up until just a few weeks ago. Some personnel changes would be necessary, of course, but we're willing to bet that even with the same players Eberflus had at his disposal this season, Flores would have been a lot more successful.
The problem with courting Flores, of course, is that he's expected to be one of the top candidates for teams seeking a new head coach. But if that doesn't work out, he currently has the option to go searching for a different DC job, as his contract with the Vikings expires at season's end. If Flores does become available, one has to wonder if Jerry Jones will pony up the dough it might take him to bring him to Dallas, as one would assume it would take a pretty penny.