Parker also contradicted Jerry Jones, saying he will most likely keep coaching from the sideline rather than move to the booth.
Christian Parker is having a rough first year as Dallas's defensive coordinator, and this week brought a new wrinkle: the team hired longtime NFL defensive coordinator and former Browns head coach Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant. Asked Thursday if Pettine was a "save the day" hire, Parker pushed back, calling him a "right-hand man" instead.
The hire comes with reason for urgency. Parker's unit ranks 31st in yards allowed and 32nd in rushing yards allowed, has forced just two turnovers all season, and has yet to record a single interception. Parker arrived in Dallas this spring with a bigger spotlight than most first-year coordinators get, after owner Jerry Jones publicly talked him up as a potential future head coach. The roster around him, though, got new names more than it got better talent.
Parker also broke from Jones this week on a smaller but notable point. Jones had said earlier that Parker would move up to the coaching booth, but Parker said he will "most likely" stay on the sideline instead. Through it all, Parker maintains the Cowboys' defensive problems are "very fixable."