Cowboys Coach Kellen Moore in Jacksonville; A Jaguars Fit?

Moore has accepted an invitation from the Jaguars to interview for the vacancy created by the in-season firing of one-and-done debacle Urban Meyer.

FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys remain a hotbed of head coach prospects, even as defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has tapped the brakes on his possible departure from The Star.

Fellow Dallas staffer Kellen Moore has accepted an invitation from the Jacksonville Jaguars to interview for the vacancy created by the in-season firing of one-and-done debacle Urban Meyer.

The interview session will be a virtual one and is scheduled to take place this week, as NFL Network first noted.

The Cowboys offensive coordinator, Moore is just 33, but comes with an impressive body of work for 11-5 Dallas - the team’s 25-22 loss on Sunday to Arizona notwithstanding. He’s drawn high praise from both head coaches who he’s worked under - Jason Garrett and Mike McCarthy - and from his top pupil, Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott.

Earlier this year, Moore said of such opportunities, “Once we get into the season, I don’t care about it. In the offseason, when those opportunities present themselves, if they do, awesome. I’d love that opportunity one day, but we’ll see where that takes us.”

Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will also do a virtual interview for the Jaguars’ job. Former Eagles coach Doug Pederson reportedly interviewed for the job in person on Thursday.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, a former Jags QB, is considered by some to be the top candidate for a job that features the chance to take over a Jacksonville program that this year has produced just a 2-14 record but boasts the talents of rookie QB Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 overall pick in last April’s NFL Draft.

Early last week, the Jaguars requested interviews with Moore and Quinn. Quinn declined to interview for the coaching vacancy, a move that some misinterpreted as disinterest in moving to Jacksonville or even leaving the Cowboys at all. But in fact, Quinn, in his first season in Dallas, is simply delaying interviews under a new rule that allows any team that makes an in-season change at head coach to conduct virtual interviews with active NFL staff members during the season’s final two weeks.

Quinn, who has overseen a complete turnaround of the Cowboys defense from a year ago, will likely interview for vacancies when Dallas’ season is complete.

Since serving as a Cowboys backup quarterback, Moore has become a hot name in the profession. A coach’s son, the Dallas play-caller has the Cowboys offense ranked in the top five in most NFL categories.

Said CBS analyst Tony Romo, Moore’s former Cowboys teammate: “Kellen Moore is going to be a head coach next year. Someone is going to pick him up. I think it’s about his time.”

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