As one of the most popular Dallas Cowboys players in recent years, Dat Nguyen brought his vast knowledge of the defensive game to the Dallas coaching staff in 2007 after just one year removed from the playing field. Nguyen, who distinguished himself as one of the most dedicated and determined players to play for both the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas A&M Aggies, will again assist with the linebackers as well as handle the defensive quality control for the Cowboys in 2009.

Nguyen's second season as a coach was a productive one as the linebackers he helped oversee turned in career performances, highlighted by DeMarcus Ware's league-leading 20.0 sacks en route to earning his third consecutive Pro Bowl invitation as a starter. Meanwhile, Bradie James posted a career and team-best 202 tackles while Zach Thomas followed closely behind the lead with 177 stops. As a unit, Cowboys linebackers finished with 36 of the club's 46.5 sacks, with both Ware (20.0) and James (8.0) establishing career-highs in quarterback takedowns.

In his first season as a coach (2007), Nguyen assisted a group of linebackers that posted 32.5 of the clubs 46.0 total sacks on the year. In addition, Ware finished with a then single-season career-best and club linebacker record 14.0 sacks while Greg Ellis added a single-season career-best 12.5 sacks in just 13 games played. Dallas' pass rushing linebacker duo also became just the second in club history to produce 10-or-more sacks each. Following the season, Ware earned his second consecutive selection as a Pro Bowl starter and Ellis his first career selection.

A seven-year NFL veteran, Nguyen was originally drafted in the third round (85th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft by Dallas. He made a vivid impact on the team from the very beginning of his career, leading the Cowboys in special teams tackles as a rookie and becoming Dallas' starting middle linebacker in his second season.

Nagging injuries forced Nguyen into a premature retirement in 2005, as he closed his NFL career with 665 total tackles, six sacks and seven interceptions. The first NFL player of Vietnamese heritage, Nguyen led the team in tackles in three of his final five seasons as a Cowboy, and he was the first Dallas player to lead the club in tackles in consecutive years (2003 and 2004) since Ken Norton Jr. in 1992 and 1993.

He finished his senior season with a career-high 147 tackles, becoming the first player in school history to lead Texas A&M in tackles four straight seasons. Following that stellar season he received All-America honors as well the Lombardi Trophy and the Chuck Bednarik Award. He closed his collegiate career with A&M records for consecutive starts (51), tackles (517) and tackles-per-game (10.7). Nguyen graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in agricultural development in August 1998 and took post-graduate classes during his senior football season. As a player with the Cowboys, he took on an active volunteer role in the Dallas community. While becoming a very popular and productive role model in the Asian community, Nguyen has served a wide range of charitable organizations in both Dallas and Tarrant Counties.

Dat Nguyen (9/25/75) and his wife Becky, have two daughters, Aubrey Mai and Remi Linh.