After nearly two weeks of searching, the Dallas Cowboys have their next leader. Multiple reports have confirmed the team is hiring Offensive Coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as the 10th head coach in Cowboys franchise history.
For a few days, momentum had been building toward Schottenheimer, but the decision is now final. Dallas is promoting from within after ditching Mike McCarthy.
Cowboys are hiring offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach, Jerrry Jones tells ESPN.
“Brian Schottenheimer is known as a career assistant,” Jones said. “He ain’t Brian no more. He is now known as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.” pic.twitter.com/JtGoltP1mC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 25, 2025
The front office considered three external candidates in its limited, yet lengthy process. That list included Kellen Moore, the former Cowboy and current Eagles Offensive Coordinator, Robert Saleh, the former Jets head coach, and Leslie Frazier, a long-time NFL coaching veteran.
Rumors also ran rampant yesterday over reported interest in Pete Carroll, who the Las Vegas Raiders have since hired.
Ultimately, Schottenheimer has come out on top as the apple of Jerry Jones’ eye. Now, it’s time for the fans to ask why, and consider what this new regime could bring.
The Why: Brian Schottenheimer’s Background
Over the next few days, you are going to hear the word “continuity” a lot.
The thing that won Brian Schottenheimer this job is his experience in Dallas the last few years as a consultant, and coach for the existing roster.
He came over to Dallas in 2022 and has formed close relationships with the staff, the players, and most importantly, Dak Prescott. This is a move from Jones that clearly indicates they don’t want to rock the boat of their quarterback.
Schottenheimer has been an offense coordinator for four teams, including Dallas, and has been a quarterbacks coach three times.
He’s been a lot of places and gained a lot of experience, but he has never landed a head coaching job until now. Some fans see that as a red flag, and are getting flashbacks to the failed tenure of Dave Campo in the early 2000s.
If Brian Schottenheimer becomes the next Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys, he will become the 3rd one out of eight other head coaches under Jerry Jones to be promoted internally.
The other two?
Dave Campo and Jason Garrett.
— Ricardo (@SpaceCowboyShow) January 21, 2025
Can Brian Schottenheimer overcome his current tag as an assistant-level coach, or will he become the seventh consecutive Cowboys head coach to leave without a Super Bowl?
Schottenheimer’s Odds: Will This Work?
When you look at the Cowboys sideline in 2025, you are likely to see a lot of familiar faces. Aside from Mike McCarthy, and a couple of notable assistants, this regime will be an extension of the current era.
Make no mistake about it, folks: This is no overhaul. The Cowboys are deciding to continue with their current identity and culture.
That isn’t to say there won’t be new staff members, but those external hires will, in all likelihood, have some connection to the organization.
Sources consider former #Bears head coach Matt Eberflus a prime candidate for the #Cowboys defensive coordinator job under new coach Brian Schottenheimer, per sources. Eberflus was a Cowboys assistant from 2011-17. pic.twitter.com/tIPvtLA6II
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 25, 2025
We know former Cowboys assistant Matt Eberflus could return to Dallas to take over the defensive coordinator job, and franchise legend Jason Witten is almost certain to join the staff in some capacity.
This is where we run into a problem with the odds Schottenheimer succeeds.
The status quo for Dallas has been an abject failure for nearly three decades; what are the chances it will suddenly generate a winner?
Jerry’s World: His Kind Of Coach
It will be hard for people to separate Schottenheimer from Jones; whether that’s fair is not for me to decide, but at the very least, it’s understandable.
Winning has not been at the forefront of Jones’ mind for some time now. If people are showing up, the media is covering the team, and things are the way he likes them, coming short of a Super Bowl is not a problem.
Why would Dallas choose Schottenheimer over a candidate like Ben Johnson, or Deion Sanders? Because this doesn’t shake things up.
Perhaps Brian Schottenheimer deserves a fair shake, but you can’t blame the fans for denying him one. They’ve seen this story play out before and won’t suddenly embrace what looks like a stubborn commitment to a losing formula.
It’s over boys, I’m kinda relieved actually that this is happening, I won’t have to waste time or energy watching the boys next season or seasons to come under this guy, and hopefully by then Jerry will realize he needs to go to a nursing home to live out his days and give this team up.
Straight up bull sh**
so ok if this it. At least get the best coaching staff. Would love to see what colombo could do with this oline. Once before he had them playing bully ball. He does not suffer fools though. Wouldn’t mind whitten and demarco on staff. That would be more bully ball. Losing al harris is gonna hurt dbacks. Not sure eberfluis will do with d but still need linebackers and dtackles. Big letdown with who was initially available. I understand the continuity thing but if you are not gonna spend on free agents that put teams over the top then we are still where we were.
Just waking up in the UK to this sad day. Most saddest thing of all?…..if he retains Mike Solari!
I was hoping that JJ himself would take the Head Coaching reins so he can see (and experience), firsthand, how difficult it is to put together and run a winning program.
If JJ did hire himself as HC, then he’d have absolute control of the team, as he always wanted.
LOL, the team would go winless for the 2025 season, maybe improve to a one or two win season the next.
But hey, fans will still be in the stands and buying and buying merchandise, thus further empowering Jerry that money, and not championship trophies, is the only thing that matters.
The team, despite being consummate professionals, will quit on him or demand trades, thus making the team even more of a laughing stock.
If that’s even possible.