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Dallas Cowboys hire longtime coach Mike Pettine amid early season defensive woes

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Dallas Cowboys
Published October 12, 2026 4:18 PM CDT
Published October 12, 2026 4:18 PM CDT

The Brief

    • Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced the team has hired Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant.
    • Pettine was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2013-14, and has been the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets and Buffalo Bills.
    • Pettine's hire comes as the Cowboys have had immense struggles on defense through the first five games of Christian Parker's tenure as defensive coordinator.

DALLAS - The Cowboys are turning to outside help to try and fix their leaky defense, hiring a longtime NFL defensive mind as a senior assistant.

Cowboys make defensive coaching hire

CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 17: Assistant head coach/outside linebackers coach Mike Pettine of the Minnesota Vikings looks on prior to a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on August 17, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Phot

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What we know:

During his Monday press conference, Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer announced the team was hiring Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant.

"He's gonna be here in a role to support everything that C.P. (defensive coordinator Christian Parker) is leading and guiding," Schottenheimer said.

Pettine was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 2013-14, compiling a 10-22 record. Prior to that, he worked for the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills as defensive coordinator.

He also worked as the Green Bay Packers' defensive coordinator from 2018-2020, where he was on the same staff with now-Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

Dig deeper:

Pettine had retired following the 2025 season, when he worked in Minnesota as a defensive assistant. Now, he returns to help try and fix a Cowboys defense that has had major struggles through five games.

The Dallas defense is giving up over 27 points per game and 395 yards per game through five games, ranking 26th in the NFL in points given up and 31st in yards given up.

In addition, the team has not recorded an interception through five games, and has only forced three turnovers.

Notable defensive players like DeMarvion Overshown and Cobie Durant have missed time early in Parker's first season as a defensive coordinator.

What's next:

The Cowboys' next game is on Sunday, October 18, at 7:20 p.m., when they travel to Green Bay to take on the Packers on Sunday Night Football.

The Source: Information in this story comes from the Dallas Cowboys and pro-football-reference.com.

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