Respected Cowboys assistant coach accepts job with Tennessee Titans

The Dallas Cowboys are losing Mike McCarthy’s guys quickly, underscoring the urgent need for the team to find a new head coach.

Former Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel and head coach Mike McCarthy / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

The Dallas Cowboys are losing one of their key coaching assistant as John Fassel, the special teams coordinator from 2020-2024, is heading to the Tennessee Titans for the same role.

Fassel has made a reputation as one of the best in the business due to his ability to develop strong, reliable special teams units that have exceled in creating good field position, covering and blocking kicks, and executing big returns.

Fassel’s departure is yet another reminder of the coaching turnover that often follows when a team fires its head coach.

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With Fassel now heading to the Titans, it leaves a void in Dallas’ coaching staff that the new Cowboys head coach will need to address quickly.

Dallas Cowboys special teams coordinator John Fassel runs a drill during training camp / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

Special teams is often an overlooked aspect of the game, but it can be the difference-maker in close matchups.

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Under Fassel, the Cowboys produced an All-Pro kicker in Brandon Aubrey and an All-Pro return specialist in KaVontae Turpin. They have both been named to multiple Pro Bowls.

McCarthy’s ability to bring in top-tier assistants was a key part of the Cowboys' success in recent seasons. Now, with Fassel leaving, it highlights how McCarthy’s coaching staff was a major strength, and replacing these crucial pieces will be a challenge for the Cowboys moving forward.

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