For what could be his final time addressing the media as Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator, Matt Eberflus took accountability for the defense’s disastrous season.

However, he also said he would not do anything differently if he could go back in time.

“I don’t really think about it that way,” Eberflus said Thursday. “I think about being in the moment and just keep adjusting and learning and growing and getting better. I don’t think I’d do anything differently. I think I would just work to adjust when you get different players in and those things. I think that’s what you do as a coach.”

Cowboys DC Matt Eberflus on this season: “Certainly disappointing. It’s not what we saw coming down the road.”

On how much ownership he takes for the defensive struggles: “Ownership and accountability is right with me. I’m the defensive coordinator, so it’s always that. … I… pic.twitter.com/GqgyWQHxM4

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 1, 2026

The Cowboys have had arguably the NFL’s worst defenses for most of the season, currently ranking last in scoring defense at 29.8 points per game and third-worst in total defense at 377 yards per game.

Eberflus, who was hired in January after spending the previous three seasons as Chicago’s head coach, called the season “certainly disappointing.”

“Ownership and accountability is right with me,” he said when asked how much ownership he takes for the defensive struggles. “I’m the defensive coordinator, so it’s always that. … I take full accountability.”

Judging by comments made by Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones over the last few weeks, it seems unlikely that Eberflus will be returning for a second season, meaning Dallas would be looking for its fourth defensive coordinator in four years.

“I think the start of the year, guys were in and out, in terms of we weren’t at full force,” Eberflus said. “And then when we got some guys back, I thought we had a good stretch there. I thought the stretch was pretty good. We started to improve. I know we improved in the run defense and the third-down defense.

“And then from there we just didn’t execute the way we wanted to at certain moments. Certainly, some good execution in there at times, but it’s got to be better.”

The defensive issues early in the season led Cowboys coach and offensive play-caller Brian Schottenheimer to spend more time with the defensive group. The defensive issues that returned over the last month led to Eberlfus spending the last two games working from the coaching box after spending the first 14 games on the sideline.

Eberflus said he believes his scheme has been flexible enough for the team’s personnel, noting changes they’ve made, like moving to a five-down linemen front after trading for All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.