If Jerry Jones fires Brian Schottenheimer as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, I want him to call Sean McDermott before settling on somebody to finish the season.
I haven’t seen anyone on this coaching staff capable of taking over as interim head coach, and that should speak volumes about how Dallas built this staff.
Klayton Adams needs to run the offense, Christian Parker hasn’t figured out his unit, but it’s trending up, and Mike Pettine’s previous head coaching experience doesn’t make me want to hand over the reins.
If we were to see Brian Schottenheimer fired, I want the next coach to come from outside the building, and that is why I would call McDermott.
I’ll Take Eight Playoff Appearances
I can hear it now, Sean McDermott is just another Mike McCarthy or Jason Garrett, but on the defensive side of the ball. He never got Buffalo to a Super Bowl, but he did get them closer than the Cowboys have been since I was a kid.
He also went 98-50 in the regular season and made the playoffs eight times in nine seasons. How can we dismiss years of winning football, just because Buffalo felt it needed somebody else to finish the job.
Could we count his 8-8 playoff record against him, sure, but what is the Cowboys’ playoff record recently?
I want a championship, and I want a team that will give itself opportunities to compete for one. With this hire, Dallas would be getting a coach that has coached a winning team, instead of another first-time head coach who needs to grow into his job.
Did having Josh Allen help? Absolutely, but are Josh Allen and Dak Prescott parallels to one another?
If you remember, McDermott got to the playoffs with a 9-7 record in his first season with Tyrod Taylor as his quarterback before Josh Allen got to town. So, we can’t dismiss his resume because he coached an elite player later on.
The question I would have is how much of that winning culture could he bring with him to Dallas? I would start with his ability to oversee the staff and go from there.
Could Sean McDermott Keep Klayton Adams and Christian Parker?
I would give Klayton Adams a serious look at running the Cowboys’ offense because this is a talented group who doesn’t need a terminology change in the middle of the season.
Another reason for keeping him onboard, and Conor Riley, is the progress of Tyler Guyton. Changing the head coach shouldn’t mean getting rid of the guys who are helping the young tackle develop.
Adams knows this offense because he helped build it. He knows Dak Prescott, the blocking schemes, and what the players need to do. My call would be to retain that terminology, the protection calls, and the blocking assignments while giving Adams control over play calling.
This would save the offensive line from learning a new set of calls to identify assignments. Dak and the receivers could keep working from a familiar playbook. While Adams could change the sequence, formations, and personnel usage without a complete reset.
I would be extremely curious if he could connect the running game better to the passing game.
We haven’t seen Adams as a full-time NFL play caller, and he would have to prove he can handle that job. His contributions to the current offense show he already shares some responsibility for the problems, but I think his familiarity makes him worth keeping.
I’m giving McDermott the same authority over Christian Parker.
Their defensive backgrounds are different, but both have used four-man fronts and five-defensive-back packages. Two defenses can line up the same way and ask their linebackers to fill different gaps, and their secondary to handle routes differently.
My proposal is to keep Parker’s terminology initially and let McDermott evaluate what Dallas is asking its players to do. Then he can see if defenders are losing their individual matchups, misunderstanding assignments, or being put in a position where they struggle.
If he can figure this out, he can make the changes accordingly.
I think that would be much more useful than installing McDermott’s entire defense between games. He could narrow down the calls to what the players can do reliably, review how Parker handles adjustments, and decide who should call the defense.
What Could Sean McDermott Improve?
A more disciplined team would be the start. Buffalo committed fewer accepted penalties per game than Dallas in each of McDermott’s final four seasons.
In 2025, the Bills had 113 penalties for 955 yards. Dallas had 133 for 1,136 yards—a difference of 20 penalties and 181 yards.
I also like the fourth-down decision-making. From 2021-2025, Buffalo matched PFF’s recommended decision 81.2% of the time, the highest rate in the NFL. I like the support this gives for his judgment of when to go, punt, or kick.
Clock management is a different story. Buffalo’s 13-second playoff collapse against the Chiefs happened under McDermott. In 2024, three late incompletions from Buffalo’s own 3-yard line left Houston an opportunity to win the game.
McDermott accepted responsibility for how he handled the situation, but if I’m going to criticize Schottehheimer for not finishing games, McDermott has to answer for his.
He does have successful adjustments too. Against Houston again, but this time in 2025, Buffalo only allowed 60 second-half yards after defensive changes. Those are the type of things I would want him to work with Parker on.
Jerry Jones Would Have to Let Him Coach and Manage
Sean McDermott would know a couple of people in Dallas. Ken Dorsey is the Cowboys’ pass-game specialist and has worked with him in Carolina and Buffalo. Von Miller played for McDermott from 2022-2024. Both of these guys know his preparation and expectations.
Dorsey’s history might be a little rocky because McDermott did fire him in Buffalo. Whether Dorsey stayed in Dallas would be a choice McDermott has to make.
Taking over mid-season would mean evaluating the roster and assistants while preparing for games. It could also give him firsthand evidence of who he wants to keep. I see value in that alone if he wants the opportunity and Dallas thinks he is its long-term answer.
I would like to see Klayton Adams get a chance, and I can see a reason to keep Parker too, but neither should be forced on a new head coach. Jerry shouldn’t hire McDermott for his experience and then stop him from using it.
If Dallas were to fire Schottenheimer and go with McDermott, I want the team thinking beyond who can finish the schedule. McDermott has had enough success to deserve consideration and enough shortcomings to need a serious interview.
I would make the call, and I would make McDermott say, “No.”
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