Throughout their storied history, Dallas Cowboys head coaches have very much lacked diversity. But it sounds like that could be changing in the near future.
According to a report from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Dallas Cowboys are moving forward with the interview process for former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
“The Cowboys have interest in and are expected to interview former Jets coach Robert Saleh for the vacant head coach position, source said. Would be their first known request,” Rapoport said in a post on X, the social media website that was formerly known as Twitter.
While there is still a long way to go before the team decides on a replacement for head coach Mike McCarthy, this would be a rather historic hiring for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Cowboys have never hired a minority candidate as their head coach. Saleh, who is of Lebanese descent, would be the first minority head coach in the history of the organization.
In over three decades as the team owner, Jerry Jones has hired eight head coaches with the Cowboys – all eight of them have been White.
Additionally, Saleh would be the first Muslim head coach in the history of the organization. When Saleh took over as the head coach of the New York Jets back in 2021, he became the first Muslim head coach in the NFL.
Saleh is proud of his Lebanese heritage. In the past, he has worn a small Lebanese flag patch on the arm of his Jets’ sweatshirt shirt as part of the NFL’s Heritage Program in 2023 where players and coaches are encouraged to recognize and embrace their cultural backgrounds with patches and decals.
Obviously, Saleh will not be the only candidate that the Cowboys choose to interview throughout this process. However, the team targeted him early and decided to move him through the process, giving him a chance to prove himself in the interview process and make some history if he ultimately landed the job.
If it happens, it would certainly be a proud moment for Saleh as well as the Cowboys organization and fans.
