Cowboys hire longtime NFL coach out of retirement to address team's brutal defensive start

Long-time NFL coach Mike Pettine has been hired by the Cowboys to serve as a senior defensive assistant who will be working alongside defensive coordinator Christian Parker, the 34-year-old who has seen struggles from his unit so far in his first year at his post.This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners.If you sign up or place a wager, FOX News may be compensated.

This content was created by a team that works independently from the FOX newsroom."It’s something we’ve been talking about for a long time.I think as we looked at everything, we had a chance to convince Pett that it made sense for him," head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters about the hiring of Pettine.CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGEAssistant head coach/outside linebackers coach Mike Pettine of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on Aug.

17, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.(Diamond Images/Getty Images)"I think he's excited about coming in and adding experience and value.

The most important thing for us was making sure we got the right guy, and I feel very, very confident that we did."It feels as though this was a long time coming for the Cowboys, as Parker himself approached Pettine about joining his defensive staff when he was hired for the job in January.Parker marked the youngest defensive coordinator hire in Cowboys history, and wanted someone he was familiar with on his staff.Parker’s first NFL job was a quality control coach in 2019 with the Green Bay Packers.

Pettine was the team's defensive coordinator at the time.Schottenheimer also knows Pettine well, as the two previously worked together on Rex Ryan's New York Jets staff.THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE.

DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!Pettine, though, had retired before the 2026 season when Parker was putting his staff together.But after the Cowboys' loss to undrafted rookie quarterback...