After he was unable to make it as a quarterback, Kellen Moore quickly found success in the coaching realm. Named offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys in 2019, Moore spent four years as the architect of one of the best offenses in football. Given his success, why did he leave Dallas?
Why Did Kellen Moore Leave the Cowboys?
In his first year as OC (2019), Moore’s Cowboys were the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL. The Cowboys were well on their way to being the No. 1 scoring offense in 2020, as well, before Dak Prescott broke his ankle a quarter of the way through the season. When Prescott returned healthy in 2021, Moore’s offense went right back to the top.
From 2019-2021, excluding games where Prescott did not play, the Cowboys had the best offense in the league. In 2022, they were only fourth. However, Prescott missed five games due to a hand injury. Essentially, whenever Prescott was healthy, Moore’s offense was the highest-scoring unit in football.
🚨 Mega Kellen Moore thread. Some of this is very simple, but plays like this will excite many Eagles fans. Moore often has an answer to pressure, and it's often a short route designed to attack the space vacated from a blitz. There's a lot of quick game v. pressure. pic.twitter.com/aXHhBexyvV
— Jonny Page (@JonnyPage9) February 5, 2024
Yet, ahead of the 2023 season, the Cowboys and Moore parted ways. What prompted this split?
Longtime Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett was fired at the end of the 2019 season. That also happened to be Moore’s first year as offensive coordinator.
It was unfortunate timing, as new head coaches typically bring in new supporting staff. However, given Moore’s success, and likely with some influence from Jerry Jones, new head coach McCarthy kept Moore on as offensive coordinator.
Throughout his time in Green Bay, McCarthy called plays. It was certainly a departure from his normal coaching style to allow someone else to call plays.
Many NFL analysts and Cowboys fans felt it was only a matter of time before McCarthy took over play-calling duties himself. It’s impressive that Moore lasted three years as the primary play-caller.
Ahead of the 2023 season, Moore and the Cowboys mutually agreed to part ways.
Moore told ESPN, “As we went through the process, sometimes change can be really good for all of us. And I felt like I was in that space. It works for both sides.”
Ultimately, the Cowboys’ lack of postseason success played a pivotal role in Moore moving on. The Cowboys needed to change something and this was the route they went.
While the Cowboys had a prolific offense in 2023, winning the NFC East, their postseason failures continued, as they became the first No. 2 seed to lose since the expanded playoffs.
Meanwhile, Moore’s stint in Los Angeles lasted only one year, as the Chargers fired former head coach Brandon Staley and his entire staff after the 2023 season.
Moore did not remain a free agent very long, latching on with the Eagles. So far this season, with Jalen Hurts at quarterback, Moore’s offense is inside the top 10 in scoring, and the Eagles are well-positioned for another trip to the playoffs.