Cowboys say hello to Christian Parker and hope he can turn around a dismal defense

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — New Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker remembers meeting coach Brian Schottenheimer, a very quick hello a few years ago during training camp.

“Good memory, man,” Schottenheimer said during Parker's introductory news conference Wednesday. “See how smart he is? I wouldn’t remember that.”

That's not to say the coach Schottenheimer hired away from NFC East rival Philadelphia wasn't on his radar.

“This is a name that I’ve had in my notebook for the last couple of years,” said Schottenheimer, going into his second season leading the Cowboys after a quarter-century as an NFL assistant. “People just kept talking about this guy from Denver, well Green Bay originally, but Denver and Philadelphia. He was a name that I had been hearing a lot about for a long time.”

Parker was with the Broncos when they had a joint practice with Dallas in 2022, and a meet and greet afterward. He didn't talk football then with Schottenheimer, who was a Cowboys consultant, so this interview process was the first time for that.

Schottenheimer said the club did more than 40 interviews, nine defensive coordinators among them. Parker was the passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Eagles, which meant they had to grant the Cowboys permission to talk to the 34-year-old because replacing Matt Eberflus, fired after just one season, would be a promotion.

Philadelphia cornerback Cooper DeJean, who needed just two seasons to become an All-Pro under Parker, made it clear on social media how he felt after the news broke, writing on X with a sullen-faced emoji, “Mannnn. They got a great one — wouldn’t be the player I am without CP.”

“I think great players make great coaches,” said Parker, who had another second-year cornerback make All-Pro last season in Quinyon Mitchell. “When you’re around talented individuals that love the game like you do and they’re willing to put in that work, there’s definitely a happy marriage there when it comes to player development.”

Parker will be the fourth Dallas defensive coordinator in the past four seasons. Under Eberflus, the Cowboys gave up the most points (511) with the fewest interceptions (six) in franchise history.

Dallas had the worst passing defense in the NFL, while the Eagles had one of the league's best in both seasons with Parker. With Parker on staff, Philadelphia was the first repeat winner in the NFC East in 21 years and won the Super Bowl to cap the 2024 season.

The Cowboys were plagued by blown assignments because they struggled with the zone-heavy scheme of Eberflus. Parker brings a 3-4 approach while stressing multiple looks, and speaks of zone and man-to-man coverages as interchangeable.

Parker will be in charge of an NFL defense just seven years after entering the league as a quality control coach with the Packers. He spent six seasons in the college ranks.

“I’m ready,” Parker said without elaborating when asked if he was ready for his newest role.

Asked to elaborate, he said, “I think confidence comes from preparation, and I think that I’ve been able to learn from the right people. I think as you kind of get involved with different people you kind of form your own identity so when you have that opportunity you know what you’re going to do, and I’ve gone through that process internally for a great deal of my career. So I’ve prepared as much as I possibly can for this moment.”

The Cowboys have six new assistants under Parker in Derrick Ansley (passing game coordinator), Marcus Dixon (defensive line), Robert Muschamp (assistant secondary), Ryan Smith (cornerbacks), Scott Symons (inside linebackers) and Chidera Uzo-Diribe (outside linebackers).

Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams tops the list of impact players returning to the Dallas defense in 2026, and cornerback DaRon Bland could be another one if he can shake the foot issues that have shortened both seasons since he set an NFL record by returning five interceptions for touchdowns.

The Cowboys are curious to see what linebacker DeMarvion Overshown can bring if he stays healthy all year for the first time in his fourth season, and Dallas drafted an injured Shavon Revel Jr. in the third round last year believing he could thrive in man-to-man coverage.

Dallas has two first-round picks, one of them from the trade that sent star pass rusher Micah Parsons to Green Bay a week before the opener last season. With the Cowboys expecting the key parts back from one of the league's best offenses, led by quarterback Dak Prescott, defense will be the talk of their draft.

“You have schematic fits, but I think the really good players are the ones you can’t peg them into a certain scheme and that’s the only way they can play football,” Parker said. “You want to have guys that whatever scheme they are in, they can be significant contributors, and then you want to highlight it around those strengths.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Christian Parker responds to questions during a news conference where he was introduced as the new defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys NFL football team, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, left, jokes with Christian Parker at the end of a news conference where Parker was introduced as the new defensive coordinator for the NFL football team, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer, left, responds to questions as Christian Parker looks on during a news conference where Parker was introduced as the new defensive coordinator for the NFL football team, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Christian Parker responds to questions during a news conference where he was introduced as the new defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys NFL football team, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

WOLVERHAMPTON, England (AP) — Arsenal blew a two-goal lead at last-place Wolves on Wednesday to give a huge boost to Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title.

The league leader was held to a surprise 2-2 draw at Molineux, having led 2-0 in the second half.

Teenage debutant Tom Edozie scored in the fourth minute of added time to complete Wolves' comeback.

“There was a big difference in how we played in the first half and the second half. We dropped our standards and we got punished for it,” Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka told the BBC.

The draw means Arsenal has dropped points in back-to-back games and leaves it just five ahead of second-place City, having played a game more.

With the top two still to play each other at City's Etihad Stadium, the title race is too close to call.

“(It's) time to focus on ourselves, improve our standards and improve our performances and it is in our control,” Saka said.

Arsenal has led the way for the majority of the season and one bookmaker paid out on Mikel Arteta's team winning the title after it opened up a nine-point lead earlier this month.

But Wednesday's result was the latest sign that it is feeling the pressure, having finished runner-up in each of the last three seasons. It has won just two of its last seven league games.

Having blown a lead against Brentford last week, it was even worse at a Wolves team that has won just one game all season.

Victory looked all but secured after Saka gave Arsenal the lead with a header in the fifth minute and Piero Hincapie ran through to blast in the second in the 56th.

But Wolves' fightback began with Hugo Bueno's curling shot into the top corner in the 61st.

The 19-year-old Edozie was sent on as a substitute in the 84th and his effort earned the home team only its 10th point of a campaign that looks certain to end in relegation. While it did little for Wolves' chances of survival, it may have had a major impact at the top of the standings.

“Incredibly disappointed that we gave two points away,” Arteta said. "I think we need to fault ourselves and give credit to Wolves. But what we did in the second half was nowhere near our standards that we have to play in order to win a game in the Premier League.

“When you don’t perform you can get punished, and we got punished and we have to accept the hits because that can happen when you are on top."

Arsenal plays Tottenham on Sunday. Its lead could be cut to two points before it kicks off if City wins against Newcastle on Saturday.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya tries to block a shot during the Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal in Wolverhampton, England, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Arsenal's Piero Hincapie, rights, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side the second goal during the Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal in Wolverhampton, England, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Wolverhampton Wanderers' Hugo Bueno celebrates with teammates after scoring his side the first goal during the Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal in Wolverhampton, England, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Arsenal's manager Mikel Arteta reacts during the Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal in Wolverhampton, England, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)

Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus and William Saliba react during the Premier League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal in Wolverhampton, England, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Dave Shopland)