The Dallas Cowboys have announced that Brian Schottenheimer will be their new offensive coordinator. This decision, shared on a Friday evening, might come as a surprise to some, but it is a move that resonates well with the team’s star quarterback, Dak Prescott, who has enjoyed a close working relationship with Schottenheimer over the past two years during a transitional phase in coaching.
Previously, Prescott had expressed his desire for the Cowboys to retain former head coach Mike McCarthy, whose five-year stint with the team recently ended after a mutual agreement to part ways. Schottenheimer now becomes the ninth head coach appointed by Jerry Jones since he took charge of the Cowboys in 1989, ending the era of Tom Landry, the franchise’s only coach during its first 29 years.
Since 1995, when the Cowboys last made it past the divisional round of the playoffs and celebrated their fifth Super Bowl victory, Schottenheimer is now the seventh new hire. Jerry Jones had high hopes when he brought in McCarthy, a Super Bowl winner, aiming to finally end a long streak without advancing to a conference championship game. Although the Cowboys reached the playoffs in three consecutive seasons from 2021 to 2023, they only secured one playoff victory.
Brian Schottenheimer, aged 51 and the son of the late NFL coaching legend Marty Schottenheimer, brings a wealth of experience to the position. With 25 years in the NFL, including 14 years as an offensive coordinator, he has yet to serve as a head coach. He joined the Cowboys in 2022 as a consultant and transitioned to offensive coordinator when McCarthy took over the play-calling duties.
In his first year as offensive coordinator, Prescott had an outstanding season, finishing as a runner-up for the NFL MVP award. However, a disappointing playoff performance against Green Bay revealed flaws in the offense, culminating in a staggering defeat. Schottenheimer’s second season presented numerous challenges, highlighted by Prescott suffering a significant injury, resulting in a disappointing 7-10 record—falling short of the previous three seasons’ success.
Prior to his time with the Cowboys, Schottenheimer had coached notable quarterbacks, including Russell Wilson in Seattle, where the offense ranked among the top ten scoring teams for three consecutive years. The Cowboys considered other candidates, including young talents like Kellen Moore and experienced former head coaches like Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier. Even the legendary Deion Sanders was mentioned as a potential candidate, though he is currently focused on his coaching role at Colorado.
As the Cowboys look to rebuild and re-energize their offense under Schottenheimer’s guidance, fans will be hopeful for a return to success in the coming seasons.
