Cowboys' next defensive coordinator?
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KingCorcoran
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No. I don’t. He’ll have to be a successful defensive coordinator before being considered for a head coach position. If Dallas can’t offer a path for advancement, he’ll have to look for an employer that will. The Asst. Head Coach is a token title. Already 49, he’s running out of time.
Kwyn
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Not sure we’re discussing the same thing.
Assistant HC is not a “token” role when it comes to how the league sees things.
I’m pretty sure DC is considered a lesser role than Assistant Head Coach when it comes to coach movement.
That’s why they promoted him and, I’m sure he was well compensated not just with money but with the security of a contract lasting more than the single year.
And he agreed to it. They couldn’t just slap the label on him.
As to being HC without being a coordinator, Harris discussed that idea in the off season and rejected it. He said he doesn’t see it as a prerequisite.
If anyone wants an example, the most successful coach currently in the NFL was never a coordinator.
Now, if somehow he agreed to a one year contract as Assistant Head Coach, then yeah, he could go be an assistant cornerback coach somewhere if he wanted.
Hawkeye0202
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Our only report is a couple of best writers saying ALL Cowboys coaches will expire after the season. The NFL standard length of contracts ......Head Coach=5 years, Coordinators=3 years and Assistant coaches=2 years. He was initially hired in 2020......so it's hard to say coz his 2024 promotion could been just that with no additional financial reward. If I had to guess, I would say his contract expires the same as Zimm and MM.
This is from a March 2024 article
Cowboys promote Al Harris to assistant head coach, but his goal is to run his own team
The Dallas Cowboys rewarded defensive backs coach Al Harris for his success in developing cornerbacks Trevon Diggs and DaRon Bland into NFL interception leaders by adding an assistant head coach to his title.Harris’ promotion was officially acknowledged with the franchise’s announcement of the 2024 coaching staff under Mike McCarthy.
Diggs, who led the NFL with 13 interceptions in 2021, has the most picks in the league since he joined the Cowboys as a second-round pick in 2020.
Bland has the most picks in the NFL since 2022 and is coming off an All-Pro season in 2023 when he set an NFL record with five interceptions returned for touchdowns. He was a fifth-round pick in 2022.
“Al has been such an impactful member of our coaching staff and team. I’m looking forward to his leadership in this expanded role,” McCarthy said in a statement. “He’s a highly effective mentor and motivator, and our entire team will benefit from him taking this elevated step. Al’s dedication, teamwork, understanding of the game and experience in developing the unique dynamics necessary to support a championship locker room are all part of his special fit for this.”
Harris played 14 years in the NFL, including eight in Green Bay where he played under McCarthy for five seasons. He came to Dallas with McCarthy in 2020.
He was considered for the defensive coordinator job when Dan Quinn left for Washington. But Harris has higher aspirations. He wants to become a head coach.
This is a step in that direction.
“I appreciate Coach McCarthy and the Cowboys for entrusting me with the responsibility of assisting the head coach in our pursuit of winning championships,” Harris said. “We have a strong and talented group that is capable of achieving our goals and I will dedicate my time, energy, and expertise to help this team succeed by contributing in any way possible.”
The 2024 staff features one new hire on offense and five new defensive coaches, led by defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer.
The list includes as Greg Ellis (assistant defensive line/quality control), Christian Garcia (assistant defensive backs/quality control, Paul Guenther (defensive run game coordinator), Jeff Zgonina (defensive line) and Steve Shmiko (offensive assistant quality control
Whyjerry
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Is / Was Zimmer so good that he can just float in and out? I wish they hired guys that were hungry.
Coogiguy03
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why allen?
Coogiguy03
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don't worry fat mike will be named head coach by this weekend in one of the games
Hawkeye0202
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This is the rule change that now allows ANY assistant coach to interview for a coordinator position with another team ( contract or no contract ). Before this, any assistant coach under contract could only interview for a head coaching job WITHOUT the current team's permission.
The bottom line is AL Harris can interview for another team's DC position even if he has a current contract with the Cowboys.
https://www.si.com/nfl/browns/news/nfl-changes-rules
This article does a great job of explaining how the league views the assistant head coach title/position regarding vacancies.
https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl-teams-...wing-for-coordinator-positions-191317600.html
The NFL might have tabled voting on one element of the league’s Rooney Rule to improve the hiring of minorities into key franchise roles, but another employment resolution was passed that should have a significant impact on the coaching landscape.
The league announced on Tuesday that NFL teams are no longer able to block assistant coaches from interviewing for coordinator jobs with other teams. This rule applies to each team’s three coordinator spots (offensive, defensive and special teams) and a true assistant general manager position in a front office.
In the past, any team seeking to hire another club’s coach for a coordinator or AGM position could have its interview request denied. That stipulation of the NFL’s Anti-Tampering Policy is now gone.
The rule applies to high-level coaching and front-office positions. So as long as there is no dispute that the new team is offering a “bona fide” position (which is subject to review and approval by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell), there are no obstacles for a coach or scout to pursue career growth with another franchise.
The league believes this will, in part, help promote a wider swath of candidates to interview for high-level jobs. And that likely means that more minority candidates will be considered for those positions.
There was discussion of implementing a system that rewarded teams with additional draft picks for hiring minority candidates, but voting on that resolution was tabled — likely because it lacked strong support. Other elements passed, including the requirement to interview more minorities for each coordinator position.
“We believe these new policies demonstrate the NFL owners’ commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion in the NFL," said Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II, who also is chairman of the league’s workplace diversity committee. “The development of young coaches and young executives is a key to our future. These steps will assure coaching and football personnel are afforded a fair and equitable opportunity to advance throughout our football operations.
“We also have taken important steps to ensure that our front offices, which represent our clubs in so many different ways, come to reflect the true diversity of our fans and our country.”
The resolution was submitted to the league’s team owners prior to Tuesday’s virtual meeting by the workplace diversity committee and the competition committee, chaired by the Atlanta Falcons’ Rich McKay.
Examples of teams blocking assistants in the past
The Carolina Panthers and Cleveland Browns reportedly blocked some assistants who were still under contract from taking outside interviews in January. More than a year ago, Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was blocked from interviewing his brother, Mike, by the San Francisco 49ers for a job in Green Bay.Teams couldn’t prevent assistants from interviewing for head-coaching vacancies. But assistant-to-assistant positions were considered lateral moves. So before this new resolution passed, an assistant QBs coach wanting to interview for a vacant offensive coordinator wasn’t necessarily able to if his current team wanted to prevent a promotion.
Part of the reason this rule was initially in place was to prevent teams seeking interviews from inventing phony, nominal titles — think “assistant head coach” or “associate head coach” — as a way of stealing quality coaches and not actually allowing them for true career advancement. The league has found a way to circumvent that by restricting it to the three coordinator spots.
The competitive gamesmanship that came from teams blocking assistant coaching jobs was a major strategic ploy invoked almost every offseason. Now that element of the hiring cycle has been removed, and the hope is that it leads to more candidates — and a more diverse group — being considered for higher-profile positions.
DuncanIso
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#Nolan
DuncanIso
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Coogiguy03
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has to have the spotlight!
Mr_437
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I believe he's been successful in his last two stops as a DC only. Allen has experience putting together a defense while some of the other guys on the list would be their first time. Saleh will be a HC imo, so he won't be an option.
NDGAEDE
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I think Allen is in the Fangio/Spagnulo mode. Stick him in at DC forever, just don't make him a HC.
Mr_437
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Exactly.
