The Cowboys' Sunday matchup with Detroit is also a reunion of sorts as Lions head coach Dan Campbell spent time during his playing career wearing the Star. In fact, throughout the franchise's history, several former Dallas players have gone on to enter the coaching ranks.
That includes a handful who became NFL coordinators, like Kellen Moore, Dennis Thurman and Ken Norton Jr., as well several who ran programs in the college ranks, such as Eddie George and Greg Ellis. And, of course, the landscape is dotted with those who went on to coach at the high school level, the most notable probably being Jason Witten, who guided his Liberty Christian football team to a Texas TAPPS Division II state title last season.
So with that in mind, let's take a look at some of the top former Cowboys players who eventually became head coaches.
With Lions HC Dan Campbell on his way to Dallas for a Week 6 matchup, let's take a look at some of the top former Cowboys players who eventually became head coaches.
11. Jim Zorn • Cowboys (1975 Preseason) • NFL Head Coach (2008-09)
Did Jim Zorn ever play for the Cowboys? He did in the 1975 preseason. Signed as an undrafted free agent, he was one of the last cuts in training camp because, well, Dallas already had a couple of quarterbacks in Roger Staubach and Clint Longley. But Zorn went on to enjoy an 11-year NFL career spent almost entirely with the Seahawks. He then entered the coaching ranks and eventually wound up serving as Washington's head coach for two seasons. In his four games against Dallas as a head coach, Zorn's club went 1-3.
10. Deion Sanders • Cowboys (1995-99) • Colorado Head Coach (2023-Current)
We'll dip into the ranks of big-time college football here as Deion Sanders has set the NCAA afire with his brash and bold coaching style for the Colorado Buffaloes – a style that basically mirrors the way he himself played the game. Over his Pro Football Hall of Fame career, Prime Time played 14 seasons in the NFL, including five years with the Cowboys. He came to Dallas in 1995 and promptly helped the Cowboys to their fifth Lombardi Trophy.
9. Danny White • Cowboys (1976-88) • AFL Head Coach (1992-2008)
Most people know Danny White was a standout quarterback and punter for the Cowboys from 1976-88. He still ranks fifth all-time in franchise history for passing yards (21,959) and is fourth in touchdown throws (155). What people may not know is White is also one of the greatest head coaches in the history of the Arena Football League. He took his teams to the playoffs in 15 of his 16 years at the helm, winning two championships, which earned him a place in the AFL Hall of Fame.
8. Jack Patera • Cowboys (1960-61) • NFL Head Coach (1976-82)
Linebacker Jack Patera played seven years in the NFL, his last two coming with the upstart expansion team in Dallas. He saw action in just three games for the Cowboys in 1960 with one more outing coming in 1961. Patera then spent 13 seasons as a defensive line coach for the Rams, Giants and Vikings before getting the head job for the Seahawks in 1973, a position he would hold for seven seasons. His career head-coaching record against the Cowboys was 0-2.
7. Dan Campbell • Cowboys (2003-05) • NFL Head Coach (2021-Current)
Dan Campbell, a Texas native, has been heralded for being a tough, no-nonsense head coach for the Detroit Lions, a team on the rise that reached the NFC Championship Game last season. But that's the same attitude that helped him throughout a 10-year playing career, of which three of those seasons he spent with the Cowboys. After retiring as a player, he entered the coaching ranks in 2010, working his way up to become the Lions' bench boss in 2021. Heading into Sunday's matchup, Campbell is 0-3 against the Cowboys as a head coach.
6. Forrest Gregg • Cowboys (1971) • NFL Head Coach (1975-77; 1980-87)
After starring at offensive tackle for nearby SMU, Forrest Gregg then put together a Hall of Fame career over 14 seasons with the Packers. However, in his final NFL campaign he was brought back to Dallas for a six-game stint with the Cowboys in 1971. The next year, Gregg became an offensive line coach for the Browns and would go on to hold head coaching jobs in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Green Bay, and eventually back at SMU. Gregg only faced the Cowboys once as a head coach, losing in 1984 while manning the Packers.
5. Jack Del Rio • Cowboys (1989-91) • NFL Head Coach (2003-11; 2015-17)
Jack Del Rio's NFL career spanned 11 seasons and four different teams, one of which was with the Cowboys. A middle linebacker, he was picked up by Jimmy Johnson's new coaching regime in 1989 and started 44 of the 46 games he played in during his three years in Dallas. Jumping right into the coaching ranks as an assistant with the Saints, he later served as head coach in Jacksonville for nine seasons with another three years leading the Raiders. As a head coach, he posted a 2-1 record against the Cowboys.
4. Dick Nolan • Cowboys (1962) • NFL Head Coach (1968-75; 1978-80)
Tom Landry brought Dick Nolan, his old teammate with the Giants, to Dallas in 1962 to serve as a player-coach, and indeed Nolan saw action in 11 games. The next year, though, he was on the sidelines full time. Nolan spent five more seasons on his mentor's staff before leaving in 1968 to become head coach of the 49ers and later the Saints. But he finished out his career back in Dallas with nine more seasons as an assistant. Nolan suffered through a 1-5-1 record when squaring off against the Cowboys, which included consecutive losses in the NFC Championship Game during the 1970-71 seasons.
3. Jason Garrett • Cowboys (1993-99) • NFL Head Coach (2010-19)
From 1993 to 2019, Jason Garrett spent 21 of his 27 NFL seasons with the Cowboys. The first seven came as a backup quarterback to Hall of Famer Troy Aikman, and he later returned in 2007 to serve as the team's offensive coordinator. Garrett would then take over head-coaching duties midway through the 2010 season and go on to post an 85-67 record over the next nine years. He ranks second in franchise history in both wins and tenure.
2. Mike Ditka • Cowboys (1969-72) • NFL Head Coach (1982-99)
There's no question Mike Ditka is usually associated with the Bears. A five-time Pro Bowler over his six seasons as a player in Chicago, he later guided the team as its head coach for 11 years, which included a Super Bowl title in 1985. However, Ditka wrapped up his playing career with four seasons in Dallas, where he also won a Super Bowl in 1971. He then was an assistant on Tom Landry's staff and credits the legend for helping him develop as a coach. Ditka had the best coaching record vs. his old team, posting a 5-2 mark.
1. Dan Reeves • Cowboys (1968-72) • NFL Head Coach (1981-2003)
Dan Reeves was a head coach in the NFL for 23 seasons, and he is one of only 13 men in league history with at least 200 wins. He's also just one of seven to lead two different teams to the Super Bowl (Denver, Atlanta). But Reeves' roots were with the Cowboys. He played eight seasons with the team before then serving as an assistant for four more, winning Super Bowls in both 1971 as a running back and in 1977 as the offensive coordinator. Over his lengthy coaching career, Reeves faced the Cowboys 13 times, earning a 5-8 record.
