Cowboys defender gushes over 'attack' style of new DC Matt Eberflus

During Mike McCarthy's final season as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, he turned to veteran defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who did solid work considering the injuries he had to deal with.

With McCarthy out, and Brian Schottenheimer in, the Cowboys are again changing defensive coordinators. Schottenheimer went with someone familiar with the organization, hiring Matt Eberflus, who was an assistant in Dallas from 2011 to 2017.

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It's still early, but so far, Eberflus seems to be winning over his players. Second-year defensive end Marshawn Kneeland is proof of this, as he was gushing about the system while being interviewed by Nicole Hutchinson.

Dallas Cowboys defensive end Marshawn Kneeland walks off the field after the game against the New Orleans Saints. | Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

"I love the system. It's an attack front," said Kneeland. He stated that previous defenses relied on reading the offense and reacting. Under Eberflus, he said "you just don't think, you run. Just play."

"I loveeee the system" -@MKneeland99 with a big smile on what he thinks about DC Matt Eberflus' system.
I caught up with him about it all, his early impressive days at camp, what he added to his tool bag this offseason that's shown up, competition in the DE room, and more.… pic.twitter.com/nvQ1G27Hp2
— Nicole Hutchison (@nhutchisontv) July 25, 2025

Kneeland was all smiles when discussing the options he had under the new defensive coordinator, stating that the defensive linemen are given a lot of freedom within their scheme.

As a rookie, Kneeland appeared in 11 games with one start. He posted 14 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and one pass defense.

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The Western Michigan product is part of a crowded defensive end group, but he has the talent to force his way into the lineup.

Perhaps Eberflus will be the key to him getting the most out of that talent.

Former Chicago Bears head Coach Matt Eberflus during the third quarter against the New England Patriots. | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

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