The Dallas Cowboys have proven to be pretty thorough in their search for a coach under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. They interviewed several candidates for various positions and on Monday night, they reached a deal with one of them. Marcus Dickerson will coach Dallas’ defensive line.
Dickerson replaces Aaron Whitecotton, who interviewed for the defensive coordinator position before Parker was hired. White Cotton has since left to coach the Tennessee Titans defensive line and coordinate the running game.
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Dixon was the first person from Parker’s defense to be interviewed. He has spent the past two seasons as defensive line coach with the Vikings, working with Brian Flores and Daronte Jones, who was also a finalist for Parker’s job. Minnesota has ranked in the top five in sacks each of the past two years and in the top 10 in pressure rate.
Before joining the Vikings, Dickerson was the defensive line coach with the Broncos when Parker was the defensive backs coach in the same building. Dickerson’s first-year coordinator was Ejiro Evero, a Vic Fangio disciple. The next year, Vance Joseph stepped in to combine his own plan with the Fangio concept that Dixon and Parker had been exposed to.
Dixon is also a former player. In 2008, he went undrafted out of Hampton and signed with the Cowboys, where he stayed for two years. After being waived after the preseason in his third year, Dickerson went to the Jets, where Brian Schottenheimer served as offensive coordinator.
He later had two brief spells with the Chiefs and Titans before retiring and starting coaching at his alma mater.
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Dixon is well-respected in the coaching ranks. He’s quite young, but Dixon’s track record speaks for itself. His familiarity with Parker makes this a natural fit, and his exposure to the Vikings’ unique defensive scheme over the past two years is obviously exciting.
The Cowboys were able to talk to Dickerson because his contract in Minnesota had expired, although Vikings players and coaches have raved about him and would certainly welcome him back. Now, he’ll be a cowboy again.