The Dallas Cowboys are amid a crucial offseason, completing a coaching search and tackling roster challenges. With head coach Mike McCarthy out after a 7-10 season, owner/general manager Jerry Jones is interviewing candidates like Kellen Moore, Brian Schottenheimer, and Robert Saleh.
DeMarcus Ware Advises Jerry Jones and the Cowboys To Step Out of Comfort Zone
DeMarcus Ware, a Cowboys icon, has thrown his name into the mix under one intriguing condition. Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show,” Ware didn’t hesitate when asked if he’d return to be a linebackers coach if Jones hires Jason Witten as his head coach.
“No doubt,” Ware responded emphatically. “You see, I didn’t blink. I heard it, you know, and putting together that staff, it sounds like Jerry’s DNA. Just stick with what he knows which is Brian Schottenheimer, or Kellen Moore, or something like that. I’m even hearing Deion [Sanders’] name.”
#Cowboys Hall of Famer DeMarcus Ware on the possibility of coaching being in his future:
Rich: “Let’s say he [Jerry] hires Witten, you’d be his linebacker coach?”
Ware: “No doubt, no doubt. I would really really consider that.”
(🎥: @RichEisenShow) pic.twitter.com/BIC8IPZ0YX
— Brandon Loree (@Brandoniswrite) January 24, 2025
He also emphasized the importance of making hard choices, advising Jones to do the same.
“I just got to the point where if you keep going to what’s comfortable, you’re not going to be able to get what you want, and I know Jerry Jones wants to win. Like, he wants to win right now. I think it’s time that he just thinks about how do I build the right team for the coaches and everybody else around the coaches.”
Witten, a Cowboys legend himself, played tight end for the Dallas franchise from 2003-2017 and then again in 2019. The 42-year-old Tennessee native is reported to be a popular name in the Cowboys HC conversation. He has been the head coach at Liberty Christian High School since 2021, leading the team to back-to-back state championships and earning Coach of the Year honors from the Cowboys in 2024.
While it’s rare for a high school coach to leap directly to the NFL, success stories like Doug Pederson and Jon Kitna suggest it’s not impossible. If Ware lands in Dallas alongside Witten, and that’s a big “if,” his involvement could help bring about a defensive resurgence for Dallas.
The Cowboys struggled mightily on defense in 2024, ranking 25th in PFN’s Defense+ metric and allowing 5.82 points per first quarter — the second-worst in the NFL. With Micah Parsons anchoring the unit, a seasoned leader like Ware could bring invaluable mentorship.
Dallas’ offseason stakes are high. If Jones takes Ware’s advice and steps out of his comfort zone, hiring fresh, innovative minds could restore the franchise to its former glory.