The NFL playoffs just threw a wrench into the Dallas Cowboys’ search for a new defensive coordinator.
After an intense matchup between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills that went to overtime, one of their perceived top candidates will be unavailable for hire for at least one more week.
Broncos’ win/loss
With the Broncos beating the Bills 33-30 in overtime, Broncos pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard will continue to coach in the postseason, which means he can’t be hired by the Cowboys nor any other team. Leonhard is one of the nine known candidates for the defensive coordinator opening in Dallas, and he’s seen as one of the favorites.
If the Cowboys want to move quick, they’ll have to hire someone not named Leonhard, however. The Broncos will play the winner of tomorrow’s matchup between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
According to Giants insider Art Stapleton, Leonhard is a serious candidate in New York. If he’s indeed Harbaugh’s preferred choice, the Cowboys will have an uphill battle to win the bidding war. Clearly, the Giants are pushing all their chips into the table by hiring Harbaugh and I wouldn’t expect them to shy away from throwing a lot of money at coordinator candidates.
Not to mention, Harbaugh’s resume is stronger than that of Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer. Leonhard would likely prefer to head to New York.
Cowboys already on Round 2 of interviews
For now, the Cowboys have already kicked off Round 2 of their interviews as three candidates moved on to in-person interviews starting on Saturday: Jonathan Gannon (former Arizona Cardinals HC), Daronte Jones (Minnesota Vikings pass game coordinator), and Christian Parker (Philadelphia Eagles pass game coordinator).
More could join the party in the coming days, including Leonhard. But for now, he will be preparing for the Broncos’ next opponent and battling for a ticket to Super Bowl LX.
