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.
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.
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.
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.