Will Grier's Cowboys return comes on Dallas coaching staff
ESPN says Will Grier, who retired July 15, is joining Dallas as an offensive assistant after several stints with the team.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Will Grier’s Cowboys return is moving from the quarterback room to the coaching staff: the former Dallas quarterback is joining the team as an offensive assistant, ESPN reported Friday, citing a source.
Grier retired as a player earlier this month, according to ESPN. The move keeps him in the NFL and sends him back to a franchise where he had multiple stops across several seasons.
Why is Will Grier joining the Cowboys coaching staff?
ESPN reported that Dallas had offered Grier a staff position earlier in the offseason before he chose to sign with the Carolina Panthers ahead of the draft. Grier later retired on July 15, clearing the way for him to take a coaching role with the Cowboys.
The report identified his job as offensive assistant, but did not list specific duties. In broad NFL terms, that title typically places a coach on the offensive staff in a support role, working under the team’s coordinators and position coaches.
Grier’s connection to Dallas runs deep enough that this is less a cold hire than a familiar face walking back through the door. ESPN reported that he spent last season on the Cowboys’ practice squad after returning to the organization in 2024.
His first run with the Cowboys began in 2021, when Dallas claimed him off waivers from Carolina, according to ESPN. He did not play in a regular-season game that year, with the report noting he was inactive each week.
Grier stayed with Dallas through the 2022 season, moving between the active roster and the practice squad, ESPN reported. In 2023, the Cowboys let him go after trading with the San Francisco 49ers for quarterback Trey Lance.
What was Will Grier's NFL playing career?
Carolina originally drafted Grier in the third round in 2019, according to ESPN. He started two games as a rookie and completed 28 of 52 passes for 228 yards, with no touchdowns and four interceptions.
After his Cowboys exit in 2023, Grier later spent time with the Philadelphia Eagles. ESPN reported that he was on Philadelphia’s practice squad for part of the 2024 season and earned a Super Bowl ring with the team.
The Cowboys link also includes the franchise quarterback. ESPN reported that Grier and Dak Prescott became close during their time together in Dallas.
Coach Brian Schottenheimer believes Grier can build a strong coaching career because of his offensive mind, according to ESPN. For Dallas, that gives the staff a former quarterback who already knows the building, the people and the rhythm of life with the Cowboys.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.