The Cowboys played their best, but issues on defense quickly surfaced, leading to a 3-5-1 start that saw the unit yield 30.8 PPG in that span. It was at that point that Dallas pivoted with the blockbuster acquisition of Quinnen Williams in an effort to turn things around.
Williams made an immediate impact with the Cowboys, who continued their best post-trade deadline season with a three-game winning streak that included wins over the reigning AFC and NFC champions. Things were looking up for a Dallas team that got over the .500 mark entering Week 14, but the defensive woes resurfaced as the Lions put up 44 points on the Cowboys to end their momentum.
Losses to the Vikings and Chargers followed — giving up 34 points each — to end Dallas’ postseason hopes. Under Eberflu’s watch, the Cowboys not only finished with a bottom-five defense, but managed just 35 sacks and 11 sacks (-8 turnover differential).
In the end, cornerback Trevon Diggs was waived — another part of the Cowboys’ overhaul for 2026 and beyond. Eberflus’ firing was the last domino to fall, and head coach Brian Schottenheimer will be looking for someone to add to his prolific offense.
Where Eberflus goes from here remains to be seen. His first stint after three seasons as the Bears’ head coach didn’t go as planned, but the experienced 55-year-old DC is ready to impress with several roles already open.