Cowboys Hire Defensive Assistants From Rival Packers

Dallas looks to rebuild its struggling defense with new hires from Green Bay and Arizona.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 9:55am

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After a dismal 2025 season where the Dallas Cowboys' defense ranked among the worst in the NFL, the team has made several coaching changes. They have hired 34-year-old Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator and are bringing in Derrick Ansley as the passing game coordinator and Ryan Smith as the defensive backs coach - all three of whom previously worked for rival teams.

Why it matters

The Cowboys' defense was a major liability in 2025, contributing to the team's 7-9-1 record and failure to make the playoffs. By bringing in new defensive coaches with experience from other successful NFL franchises, the Cowboys are signaling an urgency to quickly turn around their defensive performance and get back to being a playoff contender.

The details

After firing previous defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys have hired 34-year-old Christian Parker as his replacement. Parker is tasked with rebuilding a defense that ranked 30th in total yards, dead last in passing yards, 31st in passing touchdowns, 23rd in rushing yards and last in rushing touchdowns in 2025. To help Parker, the Cowboys are also bringing in Derrick Ansley as the new passing game coordinator and Ryan Smith as the new defensive backs coach. Ansley previously held the same role with the Green Bay Packers, while Smith was the cornerbacks coach for the Arizona Cardinals last season.

  • The Cowboys went 7-9-1 in the 2025 NFL season.
  • The Cowboys fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus following the 2025 season.
  • The Cowboys hired Christian Parker as their new defensive coordinator in February 2026.

The players

Christian Parker

The 34-year-old is the Cowboys' new defensive coordinator, tasked with rebuilding their struggling defense.

Derrick Ansley

The former Green Bay Packers passing game coordinator is joining the Cowboys in the same role.

Ryan Smith

The former Arizona Cardinals cornerbacks coach is the Cowboys' new defensive backs coach.

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What’s next

The Cowboys are expected to focus heavily on defensive players in free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft, where they have two first-round picks at Nos. 12 and 20 after trading away star pass-rusher Micah Parsons.

The takeaway

The Cowboys' defensive struggles in 2025 were a major factor in their disappointing season, and the team is making a concerted effort to quickly rebuild their coaching staff and roster on that side of the ball. The new hires of Parker, Ansley, and Smith signal an urgency to turn things around and get the Cowboys back to being a playoff contender.