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.
"Each guy has their area. [Aaron] Whitecotton will be the guy that spearheads that in terms of bringing the guys together and all that, making adjustments in terms of totality," Eberflus said. "That's pretty quick, and then once you get to your position group… they'll be making their adjustments."
With the Cowboys having struggled defensively, Eberflus knows that the last three games are crucial for both the team and himself. After Dallas' loss to the Vikings, Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones was asked about if the last three games of the season would impact Eberflus' future in Dallas.
"The adjustments that we should be making should be with this year, with these next three games in mind," Jones said. "They should not be being made -- and with three games left in the short time, we've got to play them in -- then that will impact any adjustments you make regarding coaching, the timeframe we're dealing with. That's a legit question."
From Eberflus' perspective, he feels he doesn't need a vote of confidence from Jones or the Cowboys' front office, and is more focused on trying to help his unit improve.
"I don't look for a vote of confidence. That to me is like kind of a hypothetical deal there, so, again, it's about doing your job," Eberflus said. "I know this is the NFL. We got to do a good job this week and focus on that. That's where our feet are."
So, what needs to happen in the final three games for Eberflus to believe things are going in the right direction for the Cowboys defense?
"Everybody playing together, all together, all the time," Eberflus said. "Great communication, mike linebackers driving the car, that's a big part of it. And they're doing a good job with that this week, being loud, being decisive with their communication."
Eberflus' first game in quite some time being in the booth comes on Sunday as Dallas hosts the Los Angeles Chargers at AT&T Stadium.
