At various points during the 2021 campaign, it seemed a lock that the Cowboys would lose both of their coordinators to other teams this offseason. Now it looks like both of them will be back in Dallas for 2022.
Kellen Moore is expected to return as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator following Sunday’s announcement that the Miami Dolphins would be hiring Mike McDaniel as their new head coach. Moore and McDaniel had been the two apparent finalists for the job left open after the surprise firing of Brian Flores.
Moore had his second interview with Miami on Saturday; some reports say that he felt good enough about his meeting that he had begun the process of assembling a coaching staff to work under him. But the Dolphins have instead come to terms with the 49ers offensive coordinator.
And so the Dallas Cowboys now get to keep both their coordinators, OC Kellen Moore and DC Dan Quinn. https://t.co/OXyWoiZRo3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 6, 2022
Moore was a hot prospect on the interview circuit and met with no fewer than four teams- Jacksonville, Denver, Minnesota, and Miami- about their head coaching positions. Houston and New Orleans are the two NFL clubs currently with a head coach opening, but there have been no indications that Moore is in the mix for either vacancy.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said recently, “I would be upset if Kellen left,” as he was optimistic that he would be able to retain both Moore and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn under head coach Mike McCarthy.
Quinn removed himself from head-coach consideration with several teams after multiple interviews of his own; McCarthy was said to have played in part in convincing Quinn to remain on the Dallas staff.
McCarthy and the Cowboys ownership had been similarly eager to keep Moore on the payroll for a fourth season as OC, so as to maintain continuity with quarterback Dak Prescott and continue the development of a unit that ranked No. 1 in the league last season in both yards and points.
Moore, no doubt, has work to do upon his return to Dallas. His offense hit a serious slump in the back half of 2021. In particular, the Cowboys run game was stagnant; many also faulted Moore for not getting the ball to playmakers like Amari Cooper with enough frequency.
The Cowboys offense ended their 2021 run losing two of their final three games (postseason included). Dallas averaged 19.5 points and just 304 yards per game in those losses; they averaged 31.2 points and 407 yards per game across the whole of the regular season.
Whether those January struggles left a bad taste in teams’ mouths as Moore interviewed, or clubs simply felt the 33-year-old isn’t quite ready to ascend to the top spot, it appears that he’ll have another season in Dallas to keep building not only the Cowboys high-powered offense, but his resume as well.
“I think the world of Kellen and that’s why we want him back,” Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones said earlier this week, per the team website. “I’m not rooting against him to further his career. Hopefully it works out selfishly that we can keep him.”
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