The Dallas Cowboys' coaching search is set to officially begin this week after parting ways with Mike McCarthy following five seasons.
Yes, owner and general manager Jerry Jones did chat with Colorado head coach Deion Sanders on the phone Monday , but Jones has now made his first known interview request Wednesday. It's with former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, per NFL Media.
Saleh went 20-36 in just under four seasons as the Jets head coach after being fired following Week 5 this season. However, his side of the football (defense) was never really the issue in New York. After having the league's worst defense in 2021, Saleh's squads were top-five total defenses in each of his last three seasons.
The Jets drafted Zach Wilson second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft out of BYU, but he never panned out. That's why the team traded for a 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers in 2023. He tore his Achilles in Week 1 that season, and then the team floundered offensively in Rodgers' first full season playing with the Jets in 2024.
New York actually had a top-five defense in nearly every key metric in 2024 prior to Saleh's firing, but then the unit collapsed following his exit.
| Jets defense this season | With Saleh (Weeks 1-5) | Without Saleh (Weeks 6-18) |
|---|---|---|
Points per game allowed | 17.0 (5th) | 26.6 (28th) |
Total yards per game allowed | 255.8 (2nd) | 337.9 (18th) |
Sacks | 18 (4th) | 25 (T-25th) |
QB pressure percentage | 39.8% (5th) | 36.6% (8th) |
Completion percentage allowed | 59% (3rd) | 64.6% (13th) |
| Passer rating allowed | 73.1 (4th) | 94.8 (20th) |
Given that the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers have both been playoff bogeymen for the Cowboys of late, Saleh could be an ideal hire for Dallas since he's worked for both squads recently. He served as the 49ers defensive coordinator for four seasons from 2017-2020 prior to getting the Jets head coaching gig, and he worked as a consultant for the Packers the rest of the 2024 season after his firing.
It's also worth noting there's a chance interviewing Saleh could be solely for Dallas to comply with the Rooney Rule before hiring its desired choice. He qualifies as a minority candidate outside of the Cowboys organization, and since he isn't currently employed by another NFL team, Saleh can show up for an in-person interview. Prior to Dallas hiring McCarthy in 2020, the Cowboys interviewed former longtime Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, who was in a similar spot as Saleh at the time, before zeroing in on McCarthy.
