IRVING, Texas – The search for an assistant special teams coach took an unexpected turn Friday.
It appeared this week that Carlos Polk would become the Cowboys' new assistant special teams coach for the 2014 season, but he instead took the same job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Polk's addition to Lovie Smith's staff in Tampa Bay was announced by the Bucs' website.
Polk was in Mobile, Ala., with the Cowboys' coaching staff donning Dallas apparel just days ago at the Senior Bowl.
Front office members and coaches indicated while the deal hadn't been finalized, Polk, who was with the team in a lesser role in 2013, seemed the likely candidate for the assistant special teams job. Polk had familiarity with special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia from their time together in San Diego, when Polk was an assistant special teams coach from 2010-12.
Polk previously played in the NFL with the Chargers and Cowboys after getting drafted in the fourth round in 2001. [embedded_ad]
"He's someone who really was a good addition to our team this year," said head coach Jason Garrett. "Bisaccia has some history with him in San Diego, and he really came in and played a very prominent role for us on that special teams unit. That was a good group of guys back there – Rich obviously leading it, and Carlos and Chris Boniol. So we liked those combinations, and he certainly made a very favorable impression."
Evidently, he also made a favorable impression to the Buccaneers, as the assistant special teams coaching job previously held by Boniol in Dallas now remains vacant.
