The Dallas Cowboys have interviewed Rex Ryan to be their next defensive coordinator

In the 2023 regular season, the Dallas Cowboys went 12-5. They had the 2nd overall seed in the NFC playoffs and hosted the Packers in the wildcard round. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys lost 48-32 to Green Bay and were bounced out of the playoffs in the opening round. Not how Dallas envisioned their season ending. 

There were rumors after the season that Jerry Jones might not keep Mike McCarthy for the 2024 season. However, Jones already said that McCarthy is coming back. Dallas still needs to replace defensive coordinator Dan Quinn who left to be the head coach of the Washington Commanders. Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported that former Jets and Bills head coach Rex Ryan has interviewed for the DC job in Dallas.

Rex Ryan has interviewed to be the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys

Rex Ryan was nearly the #Broncos DC last year, now he’s interviewed for the #Cowboys DC job. https://t.co/Be2VDb6Aga

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 7, 2024

Former DC Dan Quinn left to be the head coach of the Washington Commanders last week. Since then, the Dallas Cowboys have reportedly interviewed a few candidates. One of them is former Jets and Bills head coach Rex Ryan. His last position in the NFL was head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 2015 to 2016. Ryan was let go ahead of Buffalo’s last game in the 2016 season. Since then, the 61-year-old has been an analyst for ESPN.

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network noted that Ryan was extremely close to being Denver’s defensive coordinator last season under head coach Sean Payton. That did not happen, but the former head coach has another chance this offseason to get back in the NFL. He got his start coaching in the league with Baltimore in 2005. Ryan was their DC for four seasons before being hired by the New York Jets in 2009. With New York, he went 46-50 over six seasons and made two appearances in the AFC Championship game.

𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧: Former #Jets head coach Rex Ryan interviewed for the #Cowboys vacant defensive coordinator job, per @JosinaAnderson pic.twitter.com/9Df2gnAXYN

— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) February 7, 2024

There have been three other candidates the Cowboys are looking at for their next defensive coordinator. Former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer and former Commanders head coach Ron Rivera are in the running. Additionally, Cowboys’ DL line coach Aden Durde is a candidate to replace Dan Quinn. There’s no rush for the Cowboys to sign a DC immediately. They’re going to make sure they take the time to hire the right candidate.