The Dallas Cowboys are sure doing things differently, going from hiring five consecutive defensive coordinators with head coaching experience to landing 34-year-old Christian Parker as a first-time defensive coordinator.
Early reactions to the Cowboys’ deciding on Parker have been positive from across the league. In fact, the hire looks so good that there’s already some buzz about him being set for a short tenure in Dallas.
Parker is seen as a future HC candidate
According to Eagles insider Zach Berman from The Athletic, Philadelphia knew when it hired Parker that it would be a short-term relationship. The reason why? They already viewed him as a rising star in the world of coaching. Two years after taking over as Eagles pass game coordinator, he’s jumping to defensive coordinator.
The same could happen for the Cowboys if things pan out well.
“Internally, the Eagles knew they were only renting Parker — he was going to get a bigger role sooner than later,” Berman wrote on social media. “Wouldn’t surprise me if the same is said about the Cowboys. When I spoke to people about him and asked if he was a future DC, I got corrected: future HC.”
NFL teams have become much more willing to give young coaches a chance at head coaching positions and though such a trend started with the offensive side of the ball, the likes of Mike Macdonald in Seattle is likely to be replicated soon.
If it comes to that, it will be a problem for the Cowboys. Nevertheless, it’s the kind of problem you want to have.
What makes Parker so promising
As for Parker specifically, what makes him such a rising coach is a combination of things. First of all, he has a large background of strong coaching influences that includes Vic Fangio, Vance Joseph, Mike Pettine, and Ejiro Evero.
Additionally, players rave about his ability to teach and communicate, including Eagles CB Cooper DeJean, who recently said he wouldn’t be the All-Pro player he is without Parker. Additionally, he’s known for his deep understanding of the game and is largely credited for the turnaround the Eagles defense saw with him on the staff.
If Parker finds defensive success overseeing a Cowboys defense that had a historically bad year in 2025, expect teams to come calling very soon. For now, Dallas is in a position to take advantage of landing one of the best names in this year’s coordinator cycle.
