FRISCO, Texas – After a conversation with head coach Brian Schottenheimer, Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus is moving from the sideline to the coaching booth to call plays for Dallas’ defense.
Eberflus said on Thursday that it was not the first time he and Schottenheimer had discussed the possibility, but they now believe it’s best for the Cowboys heading into their final three games of the 2025 season.
“I think that’s a really good thing,” Eberflus said. “[Schottenheimer] and I talked it through, and I’ve done it before. It’s really a chance for me to get good perspective, get good information, see the game develop in terms of information given to me on the sidelines… it’s been a while, but it’s going to be a good adjustment.”
The first time Eberflus was in the booth in the NFL was his first season, when he served as the Cleveland Browns’ linebackers coach from 2009-2010. In recent years as defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts and then head coach for the Chicago Bears, Eberflus has been on the field and has also served as the play caller.
With Eberflus calling plays upstairs, that means those on the sidelines need to be able to deliver adjustments, messages or whatever else Eberflus observes from upstairs. While there’ll be communication from Eberflus to all his position coaches, defensive line coach Aaron Whitecotton will be the one tasked with messages for the defense as a whole.