The Dallas Cowboys will interview Joe Whitt Jr. for their defensive coordinator position, sources confirmed.
The team will conduct a virtual interview with Whitt on Sunday for the position left vacant by the Friday’s firing of Mike Nolan after one historically bad season.
Whitt Jr. served as the defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Atlanta Falcons last season.
But he has a long-standing connection to Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. Whitt Jr. worked on McCarthy’s staff with the Green Bay Packers from 2008-2018.
Whitt Jr. was the defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in 2019 before spending last season with the Falcons.
Given that the Falcons fielded the worst pass defense in the NFL last season under his watch, allowing an average of 293.6 yards through the air to opposing offenses per game, his candidacy is largely rooted in McCarthy’s familiarity with him.
Whitt Jr. served as the defensive quality control coach, cornerbacks coach and the defensive passing game coordinator during his time with the Packers under McCarthy.
It was a prior relationship that was the foundation of Nolan getting the job in McCarthy’s first season as Cowboys coach in 2020.
The unit set a franchise record for points allowed and came in second all-time for the franchise in total yards and rushing yards allowed, leading to Nolan’s departure, as well as that of defensive line coach Jim Tomsula.
Other potential candidates include former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers, former Falcons head coach Dan Quinn, former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and Cowboys senior defensive assistant George Edwards.
