“We take the ball away” - Former Bears HC Matt Eberflus opens up on plan in first season as Cowboys DC

Matt Eberflus has made it clear what his focus will be on for the Cowboys' defense next season now that he has taken over as defensive coordinator. Eberflus was hired as the Dallas defensive leader in January after being fired as head coach of the Chicago Bears this past November.

Eberflus joins a new-look coaching staff led by Brian Schottenheimer, who was promoted from offensive coordinator to fill the vacancy Mike McCarthy left behind at head coach. Replacing Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator is former Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams, who Dallas also hired back in January.

As preparations for the 2025 NFL season begin, Eberflus spoke to the media to discuss what fans can expect to see from Dallas on the defensive side of the ball in 2025.

“It’s pretty simple, we take the ball away. That’s what we do. We stop the run. We want to make exciting plays for our football team. That’s really what we do.”

New-look Dallas Cowboys prep for 2025 season

The 2024 NFL season was a disappointing one for the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas finished the season with a record of 7-10, ending the year third in the NFC East. It was the first time Dallas missed the playoffs since the 2020 season. Now, the Cowboys will need to use this offseason to bolster their squad to compete with the juggernauts that finished above them.

The Philadelphia Eagles, who finished first in the division, are the new defending Super Bowl champions. The team possesses one of the best coaching staffs and rosters in football, flanked by quarterback Jalen Hurts and running back Saquon Barkley.

NFL: Dallas Cowboys at Carolina Panthers - Source: Imagn

Also, in second place in the division is the Washington Commanders, who finished the season 12-5 behind rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. If Dallas wants to get back to playoff contention, it'll have a lot of work to do this offseason, starting with getting Dak Prescott another weapon to complement CeeDee Lamb on offense.

If Dallas is unable to do so via free agency, it could use its 12th overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft to do so. Regardless of what the Cowboys decide to do this offseason, they have a lot of ground to make up before being able to compete with their division rivals.