FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys conducted 40 interviews to fill out their new defensive coaching staff. Nine of those interviews were for the most important position — defensive coordinator.
Former Philadelphia Eagles defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach Christian Parker was the most impressive throughout the process.
The 34-year-old was officially introduced during a Wednesday news conference at The Star alongside Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer.
“Every impression we had with CP just left us wanting more,” Schottenheimer said. “The conviction that he has, but curious, his calm demeanor, just the way he carries himself, is awesome. The process was thorough. It was long. … We got into the weeds. Every time we spent time with CP, it became very clear that he was the guy for the job.
“He’s wise beyond his years. … Every time we talked, we’d get off a call or get off a zoom or get (done) with an interview, and I’d just be like, ‘Damn, I want more of that.’”
Parker said the defense will be multiple with a 3-4 base alignment with 4-2-5 looks in their nickel packages.
“Confidence comes from preparation, and I think I’ve been able to learn from the right people,” Parker said. “When you’ve been involved with different people along my journey that I’ve learned under as head coaches and defensive coordinators, No. 1, and then the diversity of scheme that I’ve been involved with, you then become accustomed to what you’re comfortable with and your own ideas, you like certain things, you don’t like certain things, what will work, what won’t work.
“I think as you get involved with different people, you kind of form your own identity, so when you have that opportunity, you know what you want to do. And I’ve kind of gone through that process internally for a great deal of my career. I’ve prepared as much as I possibly can at this moment.”
Before joining the Eagles staff, Parker was the Denver Broncos’ defensive backs coach from 2021 through 2023. He was a defensive quality-control coach with the Green Bay Packers in 2019 and 2020.
He is now Dallas’ fourth defensive coordinator in the last four years, taking over a defense that was arguably the worst in franchise history.
“I think you build (the defense) around the players,” Parker said. “Of course, you want to have your core principles and foundational beliefs, but as you kind of move forward in the process, what do your guys do well? How can you put players in highlighted positions, create one-on-ones for certain guys? How can you protect certain guys? If we can win on blitzing a running back, then we’re going to blitz a lot. If we got good man-to-man corners, we’re going to play man. If we’re better than zone vision, we’ll play more zone.
“You want to build a package that has diversity in scheme, and you want to tailor it to the players you have. Of course, you have schematic fits, but I think the really good players are the ones you can’t peg them into a certain scheme, and that’s the only way they can play football. You want to have guys that whatever scheme they are in, they can be significant contributors, and then you want to highlight it around those strengths.”