Dallas Cowboys interview promising coach for offensive coordinator job

The Dallas Cowboys search for a new offensive coordinator has led them to a promising candidate from the NFC North

Lions assistant head coach and running backs coach Scottie Montgomery during warmups before the NFC divisional playoff game between the Lions and Buccaneers at Ford Field / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Dallas Cowboys' search for a new offensive coordinator has led them to some of the more promising young assistant coaches in the NFL this week.

Among that list have been Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams and Falcons tight ends coach Kevin Koger.

But on Friday, they may have interviewed the best of the bunch.

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According to reports from ESPN Cowboys insider Todd Archer, Dallas has interviewed Detroit Lions running backs coach Scottie Montgomery for the position.

Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs celebrates with running backs coach Scottie Montgomery. / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Montgomery began his coaching career as a wide receivers coach at Duke in 2006 and stayed at the college level for the next 14 yards before making his way to the NFL. He was then hired by the Colts as the running backs coach in 2021 where he stayed for two seasons. He then joined the Lions coaching staff in 2023 as the assistant head coach and running backs coach.

In the NFL, Montgomery's running back rooms have more often than not been at the top of the league. With the Colts in 2021, his rushing attack ranked second in the NFL in yards per game at 149.4. After an injury to Jonathan Taylor in 2022, those numbers understandably dropped.

With the Lions, Montgomery has helped put together one of the best rushing attacks in the league. In 2023 the rushing attack ranked fifth in the NFL at 135.9 yards per game and tied for first in the league with 27 rushing touchdowns. In 2024, that unit finished the year ranked sixth in the NFL with 146.4 yards per game on the ground, and second in rushing touchdowns with 29.

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The attack has been headlined by star running back duo David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, who together combined for over 2,100 yards and 28 touchdowns. Gibbs, in fact, finished the regular season fifth in the NFL in rushing with 1,412 yards and was tied for first in the league with 16 rushing touchdowns.

All of this of course, further emphasizes the Cowboys search for a coordinator than can help improve the run game.

And if Montgomery is indeed the choice, there might not be a better man for the job out of their pool of candidates.

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