Another NFL team is hot on the trail of this Prosser standout to be its head coach
Prosser High graduate Kellen Moore is one of the candidates being considered for the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach job.
Sportswriters for ESPN, NFL Network and Sports Illustrated are reporting that the Jags have requested permission to interview Moore, the offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys.
The Florida franchise also reportedly wants to interview Moore’s team colleague — defensive coordinator Dan Quinn — along with offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles, both with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Indianapolis Colts defense coordinator Matt Eberflus and former Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson.
The Jaguars fired head coach Urban Meyer on Dec. 16. He won just two out of 13 games in his only season with Jacksonville.
Tuesday is the first day that NFL teams are permitted to request interviews with prospective 2022 head-coaching candidates currently employed by other teams.
More interview requests are expected over the next two weeks, with “Black Monday” on Jan. 10, the day after the regular season ends.
“If our guys are fortunate to have those interviews, obviously, you embrace that,” Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy said this week, according to a story on SI.com. “I just think as long as common sense prevails here, I think that will be best for everybody.”
“Common sense” means the interviews with Moore and Quinn won’t interfere with Dallas’ post-season push, Mike Fisher reported.
He also wrote that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones declined to say whether assistants on McCarthy’s staff have received interview requests.
Boise State
After graduating from Prosser High, Moore went to Boise State University. He was the winningest quarterback in college football history with a 50-3 record when he left Boise in 2011.
Moore started his pro playing career as an undrafted free agent in Detroit in 2012 and spent six seasons in the NFL.
However, he only played in 2015, starting the final two games for the Dallas Cowboys after starting quarterback Tony Romo was injured.
Moore retired in 2018 and became the quarterbacks coach for Dallas. He was promoted one year later.
Earlier this year, Moore was courted by his alma mater to become their head coach, but he turned down a return to Boise, for now. He also interviewed for the Philadelphia Eagle’s head coaching position.
He signed a reported three-year contract extension with the Cowboys to stay as the OC.
Now 33, Moore’s play-calling has helped the 11-4 Cowboys clinch the NFC East division title, and a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
This story was originally published December 28, 2021 at 12:53 PM.