Cowboys lose special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel to Tennessee Titans

As the coaching carousel continues to turn, coordinators are now on the move.

Former Cowboys special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel will not return to Dallas in 2025, as he was hired on Monday by the Tennessee Titans to fill the same position, according to multiple reports.

Fassel arrived with former head coach Mike McCarthy in 2020 as the Cowboys’ special teams coordinator and was credited for the discovery and development of two-time All-Pro returner KaVontae Turpin and two-time Pro Bowl kicker Brandon Aubrey. The long-time coordinator had high highs and low lows with the Cowboys, as Dallas’ famous “Watermelon Kick” on an onside attempt in 2020 allowed for a wild comeback win against the Atlanta Falcons, but two failed fake punts in 2024 caused visible frustration on the sideline.

With the arrival of the new dynamic kickoff rule in 2024, Fassel was one of the rule’s biggest proponents and was a presenter in front of the league’s 32 owners last April in encouraging the rule change. The kickoff was enacted in 2024 and is expected to stay.

Punter Bryan Anger, returner KaVontae Turpin, long snapper Trent Sieg and core special teams player C.J. Goodwin are all set to hit free agency in March. Aubrey will be a free agent in 2026, although the Cowboys could negotiate an extension with him this offseason.

Tennessee will be the fifth team for Fassel after previous stints with the Rams, Ravens and Raiders.

Along with McCarthy, all of Dallas’ assistants saw their contracts expire in recent weeks which allowed them to seek out other opportunities. Fassel is the first one to take a job elsewhere as Dallas continues its search for McCarthy’s replacement in 2025.