Former Eagles Coach And New Dallas DC Meets Media, Praises Vic Fangio

When Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was looking to hire a new defensive coordinator, he had one name in his notebook that he wanted to learn more about. That was Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Perker.

“He was a name I had been hearing about for a number of years, people talking about this guy from Denver, from Green Bay originally, then Philadelphia,” said Schottenheimer. “They said if you ever had the chance, it would be intelligent and smart to talk to him.”

The Cowboys coach and front office, led by owner Jerry Jones and his son Stephen, did that, and liked what they heard, hiring Parker, 34, as their DC. Less than a month after making the decision, they introduced him to the Dallas media on Wednesday, with Schottenheimer sitting next to him.

Parker was asked what the feeling was from some of the former players he coached in Philadelphia when they heard he would be leaving for an arch-rival.

“First, they were real excited for me to have this opportunity,” he said. “Of course, they had mixed emotions about having to seeing each other twice a year on different sidelines, but excited and blessed for this. Just being here, and any time you talk to different teams in the division there’s going to be some emotions with that, but it’s all respect at the end of the day. We’re all trying to reach a common goal.”

Cowboys Coach Recalls Conversation With Eagles

Jan 4, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

The Cowboys did their homework on Parker. They even called some members of the Eagles organization to get their reference. What did the unspecified members of the Eagles tell Dallas? Schottenheimer recalled the conversation. They told the Cowboys coach, “Man, we don’t want to lose him, especially to you guys, but he’s the best.”

Parker, of course, helped develop cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, turning them into All-Pros in just their second seasons. It’s a tough loss for the Eagles, who didn’t take long to promote Joe Kasper into Parker’s role as their DB coach. That work, along with helping develop Patrick Surtain during his stint with the Broncos, was an important aspect in getting the job.

“His ability to develop players is very obvious,” said Schottenheimer. “...Ton of respect for (Eagles defensive coordinator) Vic Fangio. He’s cut his teeth under Vic, but he’s not Vic. He’s got his own convictions and beliefs, and that’s what I love about the guy.”

Yes, Fangio had a role in the hire, too, but also what Fangio taught Parker from their time in Philly and Denver, when Fangio was the Broncos’ head coach.

“I don’t know if we have enough time for me to explain it,” he said when asked what he learned from his mentor. “Foundationally, what he believes in, how he coaches, his consistency in his approach, he’s done this for so long, but he’s always evolved, he’s always a step ahead, he studies everything around the league in the offseason, he coaches the coaches, but he also gives you the latitude to be responsible for your area. I’ve learned so much from him, but he’s significantly changed my career.”

With free agency around the corner and the draft on the heels of that, Parker was asked about personnel and if any members of the Eagles could be joining him in Dallas. It’s not far-fetched that the Cowboys could be in play for Eagles free agents such as Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, and Reed Blankenship.

“We’ll see;" said Parker, “can’t speak about that. We’re worried about the guys on the roster right now.”

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