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One of these former Cowboys coordinators will be coaching in Super Bowl LIX in three weeks

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One of these former Cowboys coordinators will be coaching in Super Bowl LIX in three weeks


Sometimes you don’t know what you have until it’s gone. That’s the feeling many fans of the Dallas Cowboys are feeling after seeing a couple of their former coaches advance to the NFC Championship game. On Saturday, the Washington Commanders shocked everyone with a 45-31 win over the top-seeded Detroit Lions. And then on Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Los Angeles Rams 28-22. Just like that, two former Cowboys coordinators will be playing for the right to go to New Orleans and play in Super Bowl LIX.

Dan Quinn spent three years in Dallas. The Cowboys went from a franchise-worst 473 points allowed in 2020 to finishing top seven in points allowed in all three seasons he was here. His defense finished best in the league in takeaways in his first two seasons and they were one of the best pass-rushing teams in the league. From the moment he stepped foot in Texas, it felt like the clock was ticking and it was only a matter of time before he’d be a head coach somewhere else once again.

That time came this season when he went to Washington. His presence was immediately felt. With the help of a talented rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels and a new offensive coordinator in Kliff Kingsbury, the Commanders had their best season in over 30 years. They finished 12-5, which is the first time they’ve had over 10 wins in a season since their Super Bowl-winning season in 1991. Now, in just Quinn’s first year with the team, the Commanders are playing in the NFC Championship game.

Kellen Moore spent eight years in Dallas, three as a player and five as a coach. He was a QB coach in 2018 before taking over as offensive coordinator the following year where he held that title for four seasons. Moore’s offenses performed well, finishing first in total yards in two of his four seasons. Despite his success, the Cowboys opted to give Mike McCarthy more control over the offense in 2023, so Moore headed west to take over the play-calling with the Los Angeles Chargers.

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This season, he joined the Philadelphia Eagles staff as their new offensive coordinator and helped Philly have one of the better offenses in the league. Led by a strong rushing attack, the Eagles continue to move down the field and are back in the conference championship game for the second time in three years.

It wasn’t long ago when both Quinn and Moore were on the Cowboys staff. At times we felt fortunate to have these two, but when the team fell short of postseason success, some fans got antsy. These two coached together for two seasons and both units finished in the top seven in points scored/allowed in each of those seasons. It was the first time the Cowboys accomplished such a feat in back-to-back seasons since the year they last won a Super Bowl.

Now, these two are helping two other NFC East teams advance to the Super Bowl and one of them is guaranteed to do it. Will it be Quinn as he keeps the Commanders’ Cinderella story going? Or, will it be the dreaded Eagles that make three Super Bowl appearances over the last eight seasons? Whichever it is, we know it won’t be Dallas and these coaches we once took for granted will be celebrating in some other team’s locker room.



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Dallas, TX

Dallas Trinity FC’s first season ends in heartbreak after playoff loss against Tampa Bay

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Dallas Trinity FC’s first season ends in heartbreak after playoff loss against Tampa Bay


Dallas Trinity FC’s debut season ends in heartbreak.

Dallas fell 2-1 on the road against Tampa Bay Sun FC in the first playoff game in USL Super League history. Trinity was eliminated one week after a playoff-clinching win against league-leading Carolina Ascent FC in front of a record crowd at the Cotton Bowl.

Speaking after the game, Trinity head coach Pauline MacDonald offered a broad assessment of the team’s inaugural campaign.

“This season has been challenging in a positive way, because the league is so competitive. We’re always being tested. We didn’t know what we were coming into with it being the first year and now we have a much clearer picture,” MacDonald said. “I’m super proud of the group and what we’ve achieved. We’ll learn so much from this experience.”

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The opening 15 minutes saw the teams feel each other out before Dallas broke through with a goal from defender Hannah Davison. She latched onto the end of a cross from Julia Dorsey and headed it toward goal. The ball bounced awkwardly right in front of Sun goalkeeper Ashley Orkus who misplayed it, fumbling it into her own net.

The teams took a hydration break at the 30-minute mark and Tampa Bay took no time to get back to speed after stoppage. Midfielder Sydny Nasello charged into the box and drew a foul from Trinity’s Cyera Hintzen. Forward Natasha Flint stepped up to the penalty spot and deftly slotted it past a diving Madison White to even things up.

For Dallas Trinity FC, a playoff berth in year one may only be the beginning

Dallas had an excellent chance in the 57th minute thanks to some individual brilliance from Chioma Ubogagu. She took on two defenders on the left wing, nutmegging one of them and running out of bounds to get around the pair and cross the ball into Tamara Bolt in the 6-yard box. Bolt put a shot on goal but Orkus was able to smother it and avoid a dangerous rebound in close range.

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Less than two minutes later, Tampa Bay’s Carlee Giammona scored with a crafty first-time lob over an out-of-position White. Once they fell behind 1-2, Trinity failed to create a truly threatening chance. Dallas captain Amber Brooks had the last opportunity of note, putting a long shot on goal and forcing a save from a rapidly retreating Orkus in stoppage time.

It was only Dallas’ second loss this season where it scored the contest’s opening goal. Entering Saturday, Trinity had 10 wins, 3 draws and one loss in 14 such games this season.

Trinity finished its inaugural regular season with 12 wins, 9 losses and 7 draws, good enough for 43 points and third place in the league. Dallas now heads into the offseason before its second season begins in August.

For Dallas Trinity FC, a playoff berth in year one may only be the beginning

Dallas’ first professional women’s soccer team is headed to the postseason in the inaugural season of the USL Super League.

Dallas Trinity forward Allie Thornton (20), left, and  Spokane Zephyr defender Sarah Clark...
Dallas Trinity FC’s Allie Thornton wins USL Golden Boot as Super League’s top goal scorer

Thornton is an Arlington native who helped Trinity clinch a spot in the Super League playoffs.

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Find more Dallas Trinity FC coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.



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Dallas, TX

Undersized Dallas Wings struggle in loss against physical Los Angeles Sparks team

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Undersized Dallas Wings struggle in loss against physical Los Angeles Sparks team


ARLINGTON — Rookie standout Paige Bueckers — who practiced with the Dallas Wings in a non-contact capacity on Thursday — should soon make her return to the court after concussion protocol knocked her out of the team’s last three games.

As Bueckers watched from the sidelines, the Wings (1–8) dropped their fourth straight contest in a 93-79 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks (3–6) on Friday at College Park Center and surely missed her presence.

“They exposed us more than anyone has for not having a point guard these past three games,” Wings coach Chris Koclanes said. “That was very evident tonight.”

Bueckers’ return will be more than welcome (she averaged 14.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists through six games before injury). But as she re-enters the fold, the Wings will lose two other key pieces — Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder — to FIBA Women’s Eurobasket from June 18-29.

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McCowan, a 6-7 center, departs to play for Turkey on June 7 and Geiselsöder, a 6-4 center, reports June 14 to play for Germany. Their Wings contracts will be suspended while they compete in Europe and the two are expected to rejoin the team ahead of the July 3 home game against the Phoenix Mercury.

Here’s why this matters.

Even with McCowan (7 points, 2 rebounds) and Geiselsöder (11 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists) on the court for a combined 49 minutes, the Wings struggled to hang with a physical Sparks team that also had a huge size advantage. Azura Stevens, the Sparks’ 6-6 center, recorded a game-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting and also recorded six rebounds. Dearica Hamby, a 6-3 forward, was 8-of-12 from the floor and dropped 20 points.

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And 6-4 forward Cameron Brink, who has been recovering from an ACL injury, wasn’t even playing (though she, like Bueckers, watched from the sidelines).

Apart from McCowan, Geiselsoder and NaLyssa Smith, who played just seven minutes on Friday, most of the Wings players hover around 6-0. Five players on the team are under that mark.

The Wings lack of size has been an issue all season, but it was glaring on Friday from the opening tip onward. Dallas struggled to find space, and early in the first quarter had already given up two turnovers that the Sparks had converted into five points.

On the night, the Wings finished with 15 turnovers, as the Sparks made five blocks and nine steals. They pretty much silenced Arike Ogunbowale, who has struggled by her standards this season. She finished with eight points and shot 4-of-10 from the floor.

While DiJonai Carrington hustled to a team-high 16 points, she also found herself frustrated by the Sparks’s swarming defense and was responsible for seven of the Wings’ turnovers.

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“They disrupted us a ton and it was really tough to get organization out there,” Koclanes said.

Geiselsöder, who recently won a French league title, reported to the Wings shortly after the season began. She has shown a lot of promise early and has already bought into the team.

“I mean, the score today doesn’t really show it and today was a little low,” Geiselsöder said. “But we can see that we’re getting better and better.”

The Wings look to make forward progress as the season continues on. But Geiselsöder and McCowan are soon headed overseas and Dallas’ next few opponents aren’t getting any smaller.

‘We are united’: Dallas city leaders stand firm in support for Wings, practice facility

City leaders said they’re backing the Dallas Wings after three council members expressed concern over a $55 million practice facility in Oak Cliff.

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Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) keeps the ball away from Minnesota Lynx forward Karlie...
Dallas Wings offer injury update on Paige Bueckers ahead of Los Angeles Sparks matchup

The rookie standout was originally placed under concussion protocol after the Wings’ loss to the Chicago Sky on May 29.

Find more Wings coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.



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Dallas, TX

1 killed, 2 officers injured, roadway shut down after crash in Northwest Dallas

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1 killed, 2 officers injured, roadway shut down after crash in Northwest Dallas


A violent crash involving a Dallas police cruiser has injured two officers and shut down a major roadway in Northwest Dallas.

According to police at the scene, officers were in the area near 3100 West Northwest Highway in Dallas because of a carjacking at another location.

Police said the suspect ended up hitting a squad car head-on as officers arrived.

Two officers were injured in the collision, police said. Both were transported to a local hospital and are expected to be okay.

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According to police, a suspect was killed during the incident, but details surrounding the circumstances of the death have not been released at this time.

West Northwest Highway is shut down in both directions at Webb Chapel Road as a result of the crash. Traffic is unable to pass through in either direction.

As of 6:45 a.m., both cars are on scene and have not been towed. Officers expect this area to be shut down and blocked to traffic for at least the next two hours as they conduct their forensic investigation.

Check back and refresh this page for the latest update. As developments unfold, elements of this story may change.

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