Although the battle for Cowboys head coach is still underway, several other coaches are also looking for a new contract. Most notably, Special Teams coach John Fassel decided to leave the Cowboys and take an offer with the Tennessee Titans. It’s an uncertain future ahead with Fassel out of the picture for 2025 and the future.
John Fassel’s Exit: What’s Next for the Cowboys in 2025?
Why Fassel Will Be Difficult to Replace
The Cowboys blundered a couple of times this year in Special Teams. Brandon Aubrey’s kicking percentage lowered in comparison to last year. In 2023, Aubrey saw an incredible 94.7% field goal percentage. While in 2024, that number reduced nearly by 10 to 85.1%. Similarly, there were several plays that simply didn’t go how the Cowboys planned, one of which resulted in a devastating loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. So there seem to be a number of reasons the Cowboys didn’t fight to keep Fassel.
Yet, Fassel is also responsible for both KaVontae Turpin and Aubrey Pro Bowl and All-Pro designations. His style helped create the space for two players from the USFL to have incredible success early on in their careers. Fassel helped the Cowboys score three touchdowns on kickoff or punt returns. They were only one of six teams to score off of a punt in the league. In the loss to the Bengals, Fassel orchestrated a blocked punt. It isn’t necessarily on him that a Cowboys player touched the ball and neutralized the effects. A move like this should have helped the Cowboys achieve victory.
Fewer Victories in the Near Future
Many games are played and won with Special Teams at the pinnacle. Repeatedly, big moves such as blocked punts, field goals, and kickoff returns create the formula for success. The Texans game against the Chiefs for the 2025 Divisional Playoff game proves that much. If the Texans would’ve made either of the field goals that were missed or blocked, there could’ve been a different story. Thankfully, the Cowboys aren’t losing Turpin and Aubrey with Fassel. They still have the skills and talent for success. But they don’t have the mastermind behind making the plays happen.
That’s what Fassel brought to the forefront for the Cowboys – opportunities they’d be hard-pressed to achieve without him. Now, Fassel gets to help the Titans recover from a detrimental season while the Cowboys search for a guy with a fraction of the talent. Adjustments in coaching can be tough on a team. It happened when Dan Quinn became the head coach of the Commanders and Mike Zimmer replaced him. It took a while for the defense to play like they once did under Quinn. The same could happen with the loss of Fassel.
Other Potential Losses to Special Teams for the Cowboys in 2025
Turpin and Aubrey might be locked in for the 2025 season, but several other players aren’t. Guys like punter Brian Anger and long-snapper Trent Sieg are due to be unrestricted free agents this spring. Consistency in most other positions will help the Cowboys recover from the loss of Fassel. Anger is an excellent punter and also holds the ball on field goals and extra points. He’s a huge part of Aubrey’s success as well. So is Sieg, who consistently snaps the ball properly so that Anger can hold. All three of them work together to be a well-oiled machine. Without a few of those cogs, there are bound to be more breakdowns in the future.
With so many other major players with contracts to be sorted, like Micah Parsons, the Cowboys will have many difficult decisions to make about 2025. Now without John Fassel, the Cowboys have additional circumstances to consider for next season. And there’s no guarantee on how they’ll play out.
Main Image: Jason Parkhurst – USA Today Sports
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