The Dallas Cowboys’ uneven start continued in Week 5, when they fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and fell to 2-3 in five games.
Much of the attention has focused on Dallas’ defense, which has struggled to find consistency during the team’s early season. In this context, the Cowboys would have organized a meeting reserved for players.
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Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach and current NBC Sports NFL analyst Mike Tomlin gave his perspective on what a players-only meeting can signal about a team’s situation.
Mike Tomlin is gearing up to give fans a glimpse of his much-talked-about Minecraft town. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
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“I think you’re dead,” Tomlin told ESPN’s Jason Kelce and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce on the latest episode of the brothers’ “New Heights” podcast.
Tomlin later clarified that his concern was less about whether a players-only meeting took place and more about the fact that it had become a topic of public debate. “If this happened, I wish I didn’t hear about it,” Tomlin said. “The fact that you’re hearing about it is what makes it stupid.”
Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on October 26, 2025. (Ron Chenoy/Imagn Images)
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Jason Kelce’s visible support of the Philadelphia Eagles during broadcasts has attracted attention since he retired from the only team he played for and went into broadcasting. Travis Kelce then asked if Tomlin had been criticized for speaking fondly of the Steelers on “Football Night in America” broadcasts.
“To be honest with you, I don’t care if I do,” Tomlin said. “How can you be 19, man, and actually have a vested interest in most of the guys being there and not caring about them? Not supporting them? Not being for them? I’m not going to pretend I’m not. I can’t do that. Certainly, I have a job to do, and I’m going to do it. But everyone knows where my heart is and where my support is, and I make no apologies for that.”
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Matt Eberflus served as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator last season under head coach Brian Schottenheimer. He joined the San Francisco 49ers as assistant head coach/defense for 2026, with Dallas turning to Christian Parker to lead the defense.
Assistant head coach/outside linebackers coach Mike Pettine of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before a preseason game against the Cleveland Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium on August 17, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Diamond Images/Getty Images)
The Cowboys have shown slight improvement under Parker in some areas, but they still rank near the bottom of the NFL in yards allowed per game through five weeks.
Shortly after last Thursday’s 24-16 loss to the Bucs, Schottenheimer began making changes to a Dallas defense that has largely struggled thus far. One of those changes was adding a familiar face to the coaching staff.
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Mike Pettine will join the Cowboys as a senior defensive assistant. Pettine has also worked with Parker in the past.
The Cowboys will travel to historic Lambeau Field on Sunday night for a Week 6 matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
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