Yahoo Sports Who are the Dallas Cowboys interviewing for their head coach opening?
The interview process is underway for the Dallas Cowboys as they begin their search for a new head coach in the days following the departure of Mike McCarthy.
Three known candidates are scheduled to interview in the coming days, as the Cowboys will virtually take a look at a familiar face and will meet in-person with two respected defensive minds.
Here is what you need to know about each candidate and when they will interview with Dallas.
Kellen Moore, Eagles offensive coordinator
The first of three scheduled interviews will happen on Friday when the Cowboys will virtually meet with Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
Moore, 36, would be the youngest head coach in the NFL, but would bring a wealth of experience from his time in Dallas as both a player (2015-2018) and a coach (2018-2022). While his time in Dallas ended abruptly after a disappointing playoff loss in Jan. 2023, his four years as coordinator saw him put together two separate No. 1 total offenses and a No. 1 scoring offense in 2021.
Per NFL rules, the Cowboys are allowed just three hours to talk with Moore since the Eagles are still alive in the playoffs. They will not be able to meet in-person with Moore until the Eagles’ season concludes.
Robert Saleh, former New York Jets head coach
On Saturday, former Jets head coach Robert Saleh will meet with the Cowboys in-person.
Saleh, 45, has long been a respected defensive mind since entering the NFL as an intern with the Houston Texans in 2005. Since then, he has been a defensive quality control coach under Pete Carroll in Seattle, a linebackers coach in Jacksonville and a four-year defensive coordinator in San Francisco. In 2020, he was hired by the Jets and failed to make the playoffs before being fired in week six of the 2024 season with a combined record of 20-36. He finished the season as an offensive consultant for the Green Bay Packers.
Other teams have already shown public interest, as the San Francisco 49ers have completed an interview with him to potentially bring him back as defensive coordinator and the Jacksonville Jaguars have completed an interview for their head coach opening. Saleh’s Lebanese heritage qualifies as one of two minority interview requirements, per the NFL’s Rooney Rule.
Leslie Frazier, Seahawks assistant head coach
On Monday, the Cowboys will welcome in longtime defensive coordinator and one-time Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier for his first head coach interview in 2025.
Frazier, 65, has been coaching in the NFL since 1999 and has served as a defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bengals (2003-2004), Minnesota Vikings (2007-2010), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2014-2015) and the Buffalo Bills (2017-2022). His stint as a head coach with the Vikings lasted from 2011 to 2013 and featured just one playoff appearance and a 21-32-1 overall record.
He was hired by Seattle as its assistant head coach to Mike Macdonald in 2024. In his last seven seasons as a defensive coordinator, he has had a top-10 total defense in five campaigns.
The interview would serve as the second and final requirement for a minority interview, per the NFL’s Rooney Rule. Theoretically, the Cowboys would be allowed by the league to hire a head coach following the conclusion of the interview.
