IRVING – The Dallas Cowboys need an offensive line coach.

Tony Sparano has accepted a four-year offer to become Miami's next head coach, reuniting him with Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland.

"I've coached for a lot of people and worked for a lot of great coaches,"” Sparano said at a news conference. "Coach Parcells has taught me the most and prepared me the most for this job. ...

"I know Coach Parcells is here as a resource for me, and I'm going to use him as much as I can."

Once Parcells was named the Dolphins' executive vice president of football operations, Sparano was immediately considered the front-runner to be Cam Cameron's successor. The Dolphins interviewed three other candidates after Sparano, who met with Ireland on Jan. 5 in Irving.

After completing a meeting at Valley Ranch on Tuesday, Sparano flew to Fort Lauderdale, where he met with Parcells and Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga.

The only head coaching experience Sparano has came at his alma mater, New Haven, from 1994 to '98. He has been an NFL assistant since 1999 and joined the Cowboys in 2003 as tight ends coach in Parcells' first year in Dallas. He was named offensive line coach in 2005 and was the running game coordinator for two years, calling plays in 2006.

Under Sparano's watch, tight end Jason Witten, center Andre Gurode, tackle Flozell Adams and guards Leonard Davis and Larry Allen earned Pro Bowl honors.

He inherits a team that finished 1-15 this season and has major questions on both sides of the ball. But Parcells has a history of turning around reclamation projects, like he did in New England, with the New York Jets and somewhat with the Cowboys.

With Sparano gone, the Cowboys have to worry about possibly losing assistant coaches Todd Bowles, Paul Pasqualoni and Kacy Rodgers from their defensive staff. All three have expiring contracts, although the Cowboys will maintain exclusive negotiating rights for a few weeks under league rules.

As for Sparano's possible replacement, Hudson Houck's name is certain to come up. He was a Cowboys assistant from 1993 to 2001 and worked with coach Wade Phillips in San Diego.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.