Former quarterback Will Grier's NFL playing career may be over, but his ties to the Dallas Cowboys could bring him back. One NFL analyst believes Grier could join head coach Brian Schottenheimer's coaching staff, citing his close relationship with the franchise QB, Dak Prescott.

Levi Dombro of Landry Hat believes that Will Grier could eventually take up the coaching staff job with the Cowboys, as he shares a close bond with Prescott and other players of the franchise.

“Grier had two separate two-year stints with the Cowboys, and he is a close confidant of Prescott's,” Levi Dombro of Landry Hat wrote in his article. “Now that he's retired, his becoming an assistant coach at The Star feels inevitable.”

Levi Dombro of Landry Hat believes that the Cowboys wouldn't refuse another helping hand from Grier in the quarterback room, though the coaching staff is full.

“Although Prescott is no spring chicken, he and Grier have a great relationship, and it would be a seamless transition for Dallas to circle back on that offer to Grier,” Levi Dombro of Landry Hat wrote in his article.

His close relationship with other players on the team could also pose a strong case for his return to the Cowboys team as a member of the coaching staff.

Prescott and Will Grier shared the Cowboys' quarterback room for four seasons across two different stints, building a close working relationship from 2021-22 and again in 2024-25 before Dallas ultimately moved on from Grier.

The Cowboys signed Grier for a second stint in November 2024 and released him in March 2026.

Now, just days before training camp, Will Grier made a surprise decision on his future. The veteran quarterback announced his retirement on July 15, 2026, walking away from the game shortly after signing a one-year deal to return to the Carolina Panthers.

According to Todd Brock of Cowboys Wire, Grier officiated at the wedding of tight end Jake Ferguson in June after he signed with the Panthers, highlighting his close bond with other players of the team.

Grier was offered a position on Schottenheimer's coaching staff then, but he signed with the Panthers instead to give himself a final opportunity to play in the NFL.

Will Grier passed on the Cowboys coaching job for one final NFL shot

Chad Grier, Will Grier's father, urged Grier not to give up on playing with the Panthers, while he was leaning towards taking up the coaching staff job with the Cowboys.

“Man, there’s not a huge chance you’re gonna play [in Carolina] this year," Chad Grier said, per Joseph Person of The Athletic. "But there’s zero chance you get to play if you’re coaching. So I would say you stay in that league as a player as long as you possibly can."

His father believed coaching could wait, as he encouraged his son to extend his playing career for as long as possible rather than giving up on his potential.

The Dallas Cowboys nearly kept Will Grier in the building. After spending 2025 on the practice squad, Grier was offered an assistant coaching role, only to turn it down for one last shot at playing with the Carolina Panthers.

The push came from his father, Chad Grier, whose advice was simple: "You have the rest of your life to coach." That advice ultimately convinced Grier to pass on the Cowboys coaching offer and pursue one final opportunity as a player.

Now that his playing career has officially ended, Levi Dombro believes the coaching opportunity he once passed on could again emerge as the next chapter in his football journey.

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote