Published October 15, 2026 05:46 PM
The Cowboys hired longtime NFL defensive coordinator and former Browns head coach Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant this week and defensive coordinator Christian Parker was asked at a Thursday press conference if Pettine is a “save the day” hire after a rough start.
Parker said, via Clarence Hill of DLLS Sports, that “I don’t need to respond to that” and explained that he sees Pettine as a “right-hand man” in his first season running the defense. Parker’s first NFL job was working under Pettine in Green Bay in 2019 and Parker outlined how he plans to utilize the veteran coach for the rest of this year.
“Sounding board, advancing, watching film, he’ll have an area of expertise just like all the position coaches do,” Parker said, via the team’s website. “I think when we come in Monday, he’s already kind of gotten ahead on the next opponent, those kinds of things. Those roles usually are focused on advances, some area of expertise, and just kind of having a guy to bounce ideas off of.”
Parker said that he views the Cowboys’ defensive problems as “very fixable” and Sunday night against the Packers would be an ideal time to show that the staff has started that process.