FRISCO, Texas — After one year as quarterback Dak Prescott‘s position coach, Kellen Moore will call plays for the Dallas Cowboys in 2019.
In a move that had been expected for more than a week, Moore is the new offensive coordinator, replacing Scott Linehan, who was let go on Jan. 18 after calling plays from 2014 to 2018.
It is quite a rise for Moore, who opened the 2017 season as Prescott’s backup but ended the season on the Cowboys’ practice squad. Moore, 29, played in three games in his career, all in 2015, starting two, and finished the season with four touchdown passes and six interceptions. He spent the first three seasons of his career with Linehan with the Detroit Lions.
Moore entered training camp in 2016 as the Cowboys’ second quarterback but suffered a broken ankle in the first week of practice, which elevated Prescott to the starting role after Tony Romo was injured.
According to sources, multiple teams sought permission from the Cowboys to speak with Moore about coordinator positions but were denied. He has built a solid relationship with Prescott and has been viewed as a coach-in-waiting since a record-setting career at Boise State, where he won 50 games in four seasons.
In addition to announcing the promotion of Moore, the Cowboys officially added Jon Kitna to the staff as quarterbacks coach. He played for the Cowboys from 2009 to 2011 as Romo’s backup and returned in an emergency basis in 2013 for one game after Romo had back surgery. Kitna’s success in 2010 while filling in for Romo played a part in Jason Garrett landing the head-coaching job on a permanent basis in 2011.