Cowboys bring Mike Pettine out of retirement

The Dallas Cowboys announced Monday that Mike Pettine is coming out of retirement to join their coaching staff as a senior defensive assistant, supporting defensive coordinator Christian Parker. The appointment reunites Pettine with head coach Brian Schottenheimer and Parker, both of whom have worked with him before. Schottenheimer said he and Parker had discussed bringing in an experienced voice for the defense and would have hired Pettine regardless of Dallas’ Week 5 result. He said the team had approached Pettine earlier, but Pettine initially chose to remain retired. Schottenheimer said the move went ahead once Pettine decided he wanted to return. The hiring follows a difficult start for Dallas’ defense. The Cowboys lost 24-16 to Tampa Bay, leaving them with a 2-3 record. After five games, the defense ranked 31st in yards allowed, while reports placed it 26th or 27th in points allowed. One report also ranked Dallas last in expected points added per play over that span. Pettine, 60, most recently worked on the Minnesota Vikings’ staff, where he spent four seasons before retiring after the 2025 season.