The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles have always been a heated rivalry, but it has taken on an unusual level over the last year.
During the offseason, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni called Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer about potentially interviewing his offensive coordinator, Klayton Adams, for Philly's open offensive coordinator job, but the team rejected the idea. Schottenheimer shared the story behind it at the NFL Combine, noting that Sirianni gave him a courtesy call before a formal request was sent, and he was quick to shut it down.
"Nick, don't even bother. It's not gonna happen."
Brian Schottenheimer shuts down Nick Sirianni on talking to Cowboys OC
It shouldn't come as a surprise that Schottenheimer would do that, especially since Adams is the offensive coordinator who led a top-five offense in the NFL, but the Cowboys aren't going to help the enemy with a lateral move. Schottenheimer did go on to say that Sirianni told him he had to try, and they talked about their families afterwards.
This rivalry did not stop the Cowboys from putting their hands in the cookie jar and stealing an Eagles coach during the offseason. Dallas interviewed and hired Eagles defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Christian Parker to be their new defensive coordinator. Philly could not block that move because it was a promotion for Parker.
For Sirianni, it was a reach at the moment to try to interview Adams at that point in the interview process; he was just trying to talk to anyone he could as the Eagles ended up doing 17 first-round interviews and seven second-round interviews. Eventually, the team settled on Sean Mannion as their offensive coordinator.
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It all turned out for the best, as the Eagles feel they have something special in their new OC, who will innovate the offense like never before. What the Cowboys did, though, won't be forgotten as the Eagles can add it to the list of what they need to motivate themselves to beat Dallas.