The Washington Commanders have made significant changes to their coaching staff following a disappointing Thanksgiving Day defeat at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys. The team announced on Friday that defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer have been relieved of their duties.

The decision comes after the Commanders' defense struggled yet again in the 45-10 loss to the Cowboys. Throughout the season, Washington has allowed 290 or more yards in 11 out of their 12 games and has given up 30 or more points in seven games. As a result, their defense currently ranks 29th among the 32 teams in the league.

In a statement, head coach Ron Rivera expressed his gratitude for the contributions made by Del Rio and Vieselmeyer during their tenure with the organization. He said, "I appreciate all that they contributed to the organization over the past four years and wish them all the best moving forward."

The recent loss dropped the Commanders' record to 4-8 in their first season under new ownership. Since their promising start to the season with back-to-back victories, the team has struggled, losing eight of their last 10 games.

With the firing of Del Rio and Vieselmeyer, there is speculation that Rivera may take over the defensive play-calling duties in order to further delegate responsibilities to new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Rivera's own future with the organization is uncertain, as the ownership group led by Josh Harris is expected to implement significant changes.

Del Rio was in his fourth season with Washington, having been hired by Rivera in 2020. Both Rivera and Del Rio, former linebackers themselves, did not have a prior working relationship before this appointment.

While Del Rio had an extensive head coaching career with the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders, his tenure with Washington was marred by a controversial comment he made during offseason workouts in 2021. He compared the violent attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, to the protests following the police killing of George Floyd, which garnered significant backlash.

On the field, Del Rio's defense exhibited inconsistency from year to year and game to game. In 2020, Washington's defense ranked second in the NFL, followed by a drop to 22nd in 2021, before rebounding to third place in 2022.

Although the Commanders' defense had its moments earlier in the season, particularly before the trade of pass rushers Chase Young and Montez Sweat, their lack of consistent results ultimately led to the decision to relieve Del Rio and Vieselmeyer of their duties.

Coach Rivera is expected to discuss these coaching changes further during a scheduled video call with reporters later on Friday.