PHILADELPHIA - Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore fended off speculation that he could be in the running to be the Dallas Cowboys' new head coach.
Moore, 36, spent eight seasons in Dallas, the first three as a player before crossing over into coaching quarterbacks and then coordinating the Cowboys offense from 2019 to 2022.
Known as a Jerry Jones favorite while with Dallas, Moore eventually was scapegoated for the Cowboys' lack of playoff success despite the team winning 12 games in his final two seasons.
The spin was that Moore was too concerned with the passing game and Mike McCarthy sold Jones that the Cowboys needed to have a more balanced approach on offense.
Ironically, Moore’s first season in Philadelphia has produced a franchise record in rushing by Saquon Barkley, who became only the ninth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards (2005) this season. Meanwhile, the Eagles' passing game has taken a step back statistically with the offense finishing at No. 29 overall in that phase.
The Cowboys moved on from McCarthy earlier this week and speculation quickly turned toward Moore as the 15-3 Eagles prepare for the Divisional Round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams.
In recent days, splashier names like former Cowboys Deion Sanders and Jason Witten have emerged as potential options for the headline-driven Jones.
Moore remains a solid contingency for Jones if the splash is unlikely to be generated.
Moore fended off a question Tuesday about the Cowboys' interest by focusing on the Eagles-Rams matchup this weekend. That said, Moore certainly didn’t dispel interest in the job with his carefully crafted reaction.
“I spent a lot of time there, eight years there. So [I] have plenty of relationships in that place,” Moore said when asked about the Cowboys. “I love it here. I've had so much fun here. It's been a really fun process, and we're in a really special situation right now, getting the chance to play this Sunday, having a chance to make a run at this thing, and that's really all you worry about.
“Everything else is what it is, and we'll see where it takes you.”
