Brian Schottenheimer was hired earlier this year to become the 10th full-time head coach for the Cowboys and the ninth hired by Jerry Jones since he purchased the team in 1989.
He was formally the offensive coordinator for the team, but did not call plays; that was done by Mike McCarthy. Now Schottenheimer will be doing exactly what he did and be both the head coach and calling the plays.
With McCarthy, Schottenheimer helped install a version of the West Coast offense that the Cowboys deemed the “Texas Coast” offense.
Precision replaced some of the creativity that Moore had encouraged; receiver route depths now tied to quarterback footwork with less room for improvisation. Protection schemes shifted, too.
Plate Full Of Food
Schottenheimer is trying to build a culture around the Star that we have not seen in years.
He is doing everything from relationship-building efforts as a first-time head coach, extending beyond the team facility’s walls as well. He’ll take groups of players out to dinner and then spend the whole night talking about life, not football. Oh, and the head coach also foots the bill.
Not only is he trying to build these relationships, he will soon need to worry about not only being the head coach, but calling the plays as noted above. This is a lot for a first head coach who has no prior head coaching experience.
The first season, I think, will be a bit of a testing center to see what this team is going to get from him, and if other changes are needed to be made, they will probably be made.
The pressure of being the head coach for the Dallas Cowboys is enough, but when it is your first year, and you are already held to another level, it is tough.
This roster on paper now is good enough to win, but it might come down to the first-year head coach.
Key To Success
In what was arguably his best run as an offensive coordinator in the 2009 season, the New York Jets made it to the AFC championship game. With Mark Sanchez at quarterback.
The reason why was that the Jets had a running game. Thomas Jones had 331 carries for 1,402 yards.
His back-up, Shonn Greene, had 108 carries for 540 and Leon Washington added 331 yards on 72 carries.
Now, let’s be honest here, the Dallas Cowboys do not have a Thomas Jones or even a Shonn Greene in the backfield as we sit today.
They have Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, Jaydon Blue and Duece Vaughn. They may only get 1,400 yards total from all four of them if they stay on the roster until September.
Brian Schottenheimer: “My time with (George Pickens) has been just incredible. I think we were all on board (with the trade). We’re always trying to find the right pieces and good pieces, and I think we’re really excited about what he brings as a football player. But I see a guy… pic.twitter.com/aDKA67p6eo
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) May 21, 2025
The offense did add George Pickens to the other side of CeeDee Lamb, so that makes me feel way better about that side of the ball now than I did after the draft, so maybe the running back by committee will work with two WR1 on each side of the ball.
Let’s see how the rest of this summer goes, but Schotty will have his chance to make a name for himself when the Cowboys open the season with the first game of the year against the defending Super Bowl champions.
