A big Sunday afternoon awaits the Dallas Cowboys, but on Saturday night, the team took a big step toward its future.
The Cowboys announced that they had agreed to an extension with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who joined the coaching staff in 2018 after retiring from the NFL at the end of the 2017 season.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported that the “lucrative” business is three years old, putting an end (at least for now) to the rumors surrounding Moore taking over as coach in his alma mater Boise State, where he was considered one of main candidate.
“I am very excited to continue with the Dallas Cowboys as an offensive coordinator,” said Moore in a statement released by the team. “I’m not going to seek the position of head coach at Boise State anymore. I love Boise State. I will always be rooting for them and hope to be part of the program one day again.
“We are building something special here in Dallas. I am grateful to the Jones and Mike McCarthy family for giving me the opportunity to coach these special players. I am excited to put everything together and finish the job.”
Despite falling into a major crash after an injury at the end of the season for Dak Prescott in Week 5, the Cowboys enter Week 17 in a three-game winning streak with the chance to win a playoff spot with a win over the Giants and a defeat for the Eastern Washington NFC Leader against the Eagles
Widely touted as one of the game’s brightest offensive minds, Moore made major adjustments that not only elevated the recent offensive game, but also gave the franchise a new lease of life.
Led by Andy Dalton, Ezekiel Elliott and a formidable reception corps – Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, CeeDee Lamb – the Cowboys have scored more than 30 in each of the last three competitions, including a 20-point win over Philadelphia last week for position yourself for a chance in the postseason. Dallas recorded 513 total yards in victory, the maximum in a game since Prescott’s defeat.
Following the completion of his six-year career in the NFL, which included three-year stints with Lions and Cowboys, Moore served as QB coach under Jason Garrett for one season before being promoted to OC in 2019.
After Dallas decided last January that it would not renew Garrett’s contract, Moore was hired by McCarthy, who was hired two days after the team officially split from its former coach.
Despite not making it to the playoffs, the Cowboys ended the 2019 campaign in 1st place in the total attack (431.5 YPG), with Prescott having a year of career. They enter Sunday in 12th place in this category (376.1 YPG).