In the 2023 regular season, the Dallas Cowboys finished with a record of 12-5. They secured the 2nd overall spot in the NFC playoffs and hosted the Packers in the wildcard round. Unfortunately, Dak Prescott and the Cowboys suffered a 48-32 defeat to Green Bay, resulting in an early exit from the playoffs. This was not the ending Dallas had envisioned for their season.
Following the season, there were speculations that Jerry Jones might not retain Mike McCarthy as head coach for the 2024 season. However, Jones has already confirmed that McCarthy will be returning. The Cowboys do need to find a replacement for defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who departed to become the head coach of the Washington Commanders. According to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, former head coach Rex Ryan, who previously coached the Jets and Bills, has interviewed for the defensive coordinator position in Dallas.
Rex Ryan was a potential candidate for the Denver Broncos’ defensive coordinator role last year, and now he has interviewed for the Cowboys’ vacancy. Former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn recently left to become the head coach of the Washington Commanders. Since then, the Cowboys have reportedly conducted interviews with several candidates, including Rex Ryan. Ryan’s most recent NFL position was head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 2015 to 2016, but he was let go before the final game of the 2016 season. Since then, the 61-year-old has been working as an analyst for ESPN.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network mentioned that Ryan was very close to becoming the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos last season under head coach Sean Payton. However, that opportunity did not materialize. Now, Ryan has another chance this offseason to make a comeback in the NFL. He began his coaching career in the league with the Baltimore Ravens in 2005, serving as their defensive coordinator for four seasons before being hired by the New York Jets in 2009. During his tenure with the Jets, Ryan compiled a record of 46-50 over six seasons and led the team to two appearances in the AFC Championship game.
The Dallas Cowboys are considering three other candidates for their next defensive coordinator position. These candidates include former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, former Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera, and Cowboys’ defensive line coach Aden Durde. The Cowboys are not in a rush to hire a defensive coordinator, as they want to ensure they select the right candidate and will take their time in the hiring process.