The Dallas Cowboys hired Carlos Polk to assist Nick Sorensen and the special teams unit for the 2025 season. Polk returns to Dallas for the third time as a coach after three seasons in Chicago in the same capacity.
While with Chicago from 2022-24, the Bears averaged 26.2 yards-per-kickoff return, marking the fifth-best average in that time range.
During the 2023 season, the Bears special teams unit featured kicker Cairo Santos, who tied for ninth in the league in field goal percentage (92.1). Polk also helped punter Trenton Gill achieve his longest career punt of 76 yards. In 2022 Chicago's special teams finished second in the NFL with a kickoff return average of 26.2 yards.
Prior to Chicago, Polk served as the assistant special teams coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021, where he first worked under Sorensen and Schottenheimer, who was the Jaguars pass game coordinator.
Polk's second stop in Dallas came in 2019, serving as assistant special teams coach. He worked with Brett Maher, who became the first kicker in NFL history to make multiple field goals from 60-plus yards in a season (63,62).
Prior to Dallas, Polk served as Tampa Bay's assistant special teams coach from 2014-18. In that time span, the Buccaneers averaged 9.1 yards-per-punt return, ninth-best in the league.
Polk's first coaching stint in Dallas was in 2013 as a coaching intern.
In 2010 Polk made his NFL coaching debut as a special teams assistant for the San Diego Chargers, where he remained through 2012.
Polk's coaching career began in 2009, becoming the linebackers and special teams coach for Grossmont (Calif.) College.
The Rockford, Ill. native was originally drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Polk enjoyed an eight-year playing career, totaling 49 tackles through 75 career games and six starts. He spent six seasons with San Diego (2001-07) before retiring with the Dallas Cowboys in 2008.
Polk was a four-year letterwinner for Nebraska, recording 227 tackles through 50 games. The 2000 All-American and two-time first-team All-Big 12 honoree was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame in 2010.
Polk and his wife, Monique, have four children, DeVonn, C.J., Deja and Miracle.
