Eagles OC Fends Off Cowboys Speculation

Kellen Moore could be of interest to Jerry Jones in the search for Dallas' next head coach.
Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore
Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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PHILADELPHIA - Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore fended off speculation that he could be in the running to be the Dallas Cowboys' new head coach.

Moore, 36, spent eight seasons in Dallas, the first three as a player before crossing over into coaching quarterbacks and then coordinating the Cowboys offense from 2019 to 2022.

Known as a Jerry Jones favorite while with Dallas, Moore eventually was scapegoated for the Cowboys' lack of playoff success despite the team winning 12 games in his final two seasons.

The spin was that Moore was too concerned with the passing game and Mike McCarthy sold Jones that the Cowboys needed to have a more balanced approach on offense.

Ironically, Moore’s first season in Philadelphia has produced a franchise record in rushing by Saquon Barkley, who became only the ninth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards (2005) this season. Meanwhile, the Eagles' passing game has taken a step back statistically with the offense finishing at No. 29 overall in that phase.

The Cowboys moved on from McCarthy earlier this week and speculation quickly turned toward Moore as the 15-3 Eagles prepare for the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams.

In recent days, splashier names like former Cowboys Deion Sanders and Jason Witten have emerged as potential options for the headline-driven Jones.

Moore remains a solid contingency for Jones if the splash is unlikely to be generated. 

Moore fended off a question Tuesday about the Cowboys' interest by focusing on the Eagles-Rams matchup this weekend. That said, Moore certainly didn’t dispel interest in the job with his carefully crafted reaction. 

“I spent a lot of time there, eight years there. So [I] have plenty of relationships in that place,” Moore said when asked about the Cowboys. “I love it here. I've had so much fun here. It's been a really fun process, and we're in a really special situation right now, getting the chance to play this Sunday, having a chance to make a run at this thing, and that's really all you worry about. 

“Everything else is what it is, and we'll see where it takes you.”

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John McMullen
JOHN MCMULLEN

John McMullen is a veteran reporter who has covered the NFL for over two decades. The current NFL insider for JAKIB Media, John is the former NFL Editor for The Sports Network where his syndicated column was featured in over 200 outlets including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Miami Herald. He was also the national NFL columnist for Today's Pigskin as well as FanRag Sports. McMullen has covered the Eagles on a daily basis since 2016, first for ESPN South Jersey and now for Eagles Today on SI.com's FanNation. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube.com. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey and part of 6ABC.com's live postgame show after every Eagles game. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen