The Dallas Cowboys have appointed their new head coach, who knows the organization quite well.
Team owner Jerry Jones informed ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Friday evening that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is set to be the franchise’s next head coach.
He is anticipated to be presented at a press conference on Monday morning.
Schottenheimer has worked as an assistant in the NFL for over twenty years and is now receiving his first opportunity to be a head coach for one of the league’s most recognizable teams.
He served as the offensive coordinator in Dallas for the last two years.
The Cowboys offense was ranked first and 21st, respectively, in points scored during those two years.
Although this appears to be a significant decline from the 2023 season to the 2024 season, the Cowboys played much of 2024 without their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott.
The Cowboys spoke with Kellen Moore, Robert Saleh, and Leslie Frazier regarding the position, while also holding conversations with University of Colorado head coach — and ex-Cowboys player — Deion Sanders for the role.
Schottenheimer has served as an assistant in the NFL for over twenty years and is now earning his initial opportunity to be a head coach for one of the league’s most recognized teams.
He has served as the offensive coordinator in Dallas for the last two years.
The Cowboys offense finished first and 21st, respectively, in points accumulated during those two seasons.
Although that appears to be a significant decline from the 2023 season to the 2024 season, the Cowboys played a large portion of 2024 without their starting quarterback, Dak Prescott.
The Cowboys spoke with Kellen Moore, Robert Saleh, and Leslie Frazier regarding the position, as well as engaging in talks with Deion Sanders, the head coach of the University of Colorado and former Cowboys player.
Ultimately, it is Schottenheimer who receives the chance. He will take over for Mike McCarthy after negotiations for a new contract between him and the Cowboys fell through post-season.
Being the head coach of the Cowboys presents a significant opportunity, but it will also be a very demanding role with elevated expectations. The Cowboys have not participated in an NFC Championship Game (or a Super Bowl) since the 1995 season (the longest conference championship drought in the NFC), and for the last 30 years, they have largely been overlooked in terms of postseason success. The lineup features prominent talent, yet it also has significant weaknesses overall.
Given that Jones maintains complete authority over the roster, it’s difficult to envision any changes occurring in the near future, regardless of the head coach. Head coaches, assistant coaches, and players have changed over the years, yet the outcomes have largely stayed consistent. The sole constant in everything has been Jones.
If Schottenheimer can transform the Cowboys into a winning team again, he will become a legend in Dallas. If not, it will simply continue to be the same level of mediocrity they have become familiar with.