The Dallas Cowboys’ 2025 season has not gone according to script. Sitting at 6-8-1 and riding a three-game losing skid heading into Week 17, the team finds itself in a familiar, frustrating spot: underperforming late in the year with more questions than answers-especially on the defensive side of the ball.
And once again, the spotlight is squarely on defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.
Following the Cowboys’ latest loss, owner Jerry Jones didn’t exactly throw a lifeline to his embattled coordinator. While Jones stopped short of announcing any immediate changes, he made it clear that a full evaluation is coming in the offseason-and Eberflus' performance will be part of that review.
When asked directly about Eberflus’ future, Jones didn’t dodge: “That’s something we have to do,” he said. That’s about as close to a public acknowledgment of uncertainty as you’ll get from the Cowboys’ owner during the regular season.
But Jones didn’t stop there. He went on to emphasize the organization’s ability to attract top-tier coaching talent if they decide to make a change.
“You can imagine the data with the analytics and with the information that's available today, technically,” Jones said. “I should, if I'm anything, know and have accessibility to the greatest choices that you could have regarding coaches.”
Translation: If the Cowboys want to pivot, they believe they’ll have options-and good ones. Jones also noted that while not every coach is available due to existing commitments, the Cowboys’ platform and resources keep them in the conversation for top candidates.
“We can get good coaches,” he said. “That’s not crossed my mind, as far as the inability to effectively do something different if that’s what we decide.”
It’s a telling statement from a man who rarely shows his hand. And while Jones didn’t say Eberflus is out, he certainly didn’t say he’s safe either.
One reason Jones remains optimistic about the team’s appeal to potential hires? Dak Prescott.
“We’ve got a team that has a top future as far as next year’s concerned,” Jones said. “When you look at starting with the offense, starting with Dak as we stand here today. And I think we’ve got the bones of a heck of a defense out there as well.”
That last part-“the bones of a heck of a defense”-is key. It suggests Jones doesn’t believe the cupboard is bare.
He sees talent on that side of the ball, even if the results haven’t matched the potential. That could be a subtle nod to coaching being the issue rather than personnel.
Make no mistake, the Cowboys still have two games left to play, and how they finish could influence decisions down the line. But the writing is on the wall: the defense hasn’t held up its end of the bargain, and Jones is openly contemplating what comes next.
Whether that means a new voice leading the defense in 2026 remains to be seen. But if Jones’ comments are any indication, change is definitely on the table.