After years of being an offensive coordinator for five teams, Brian Schottenheimer has finally been promoted to head coach. On Monday, Jan. 27, Schottenheimer was announced as the newest Dallas Cowboys head coach after spending the past two seasons as the team’s OC.
Brian Schottenheimer’s Introduction by Jerry Jones
Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones took to the podium for Schottenheimer’s opening press conference. The hire hasn’t received the best reception among the NFL media, but Jones stuck up for his new head coach and defended his process.
Jones highlighted Schottenheimer’s experiences from his playing days as well as the number of position coaches who received head coaching jobs. After talking about his experience, Jones was choked up struggling to get words out until he finally explained his process and his support for Schottenheimer’s character.
Former Cowboys React to HC Hire
Jones has been criticized for how the head coach opening was handled. The Cowboys reportedly had Schottenheimer as their main candidate from the jump, and this didn’t exactly sit well with former players. They held on to former head coach Mike McCarthy before eventually letting his contract run out, leaving themselves behind other teams looking for a head coach.
Former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant took to social media to rip into Jones for this hire. With other potentially more intriguing candidates left on the board, Dallas stayed in-house without exhausting the options on the market.
Bryant questioned the Cowboys’ vision for the future and critiqued how this hire fit Jones’ frequently cited “all-in” motto about the franchise’s direction.
“Somebody in the organization needs to step up and tell Jerry that the old ways of thinking don’t exist in this new era,” said Bryant on X.
The vision sold to Cowboys fans has yet to come true, as they have failed to reach the Conference Championship for almost 30 years. Bryant fits in with these frustrated fans who are trying to buy this message while the results have left them with little optimism.
Bryant isn’t the only former Dallas WR to express his displeasure with the hire. Hall of Famer Michael Irvin also sounded off, telling Jones to get with the times.
“Get with it or get gone,” said Irvin.
Times are changing in the NFL, and the safe hire hasn’t proved to work for the Cowboys. Irvin voiced his support and desire for Dallas to get with the times and hire Hall of Famer Deion Sanders from the University of Colorado. Sanders would be a risk as he has no NFL coaching experience, but he has transformed the Colorado Buffaloes in just two years from one of the worst teams to playing in a bowl game.
Sanders is one of the best cornerbacks to ever lace up the cleats. His football IQ is not to be questioned, and his leadership qualities are seen through the culture he has created at Colorado.
Irvin suggests this would help the Cowboys reclaim the “America’s Team” nickname that is slowly slipping away from Dallas because of their lack of success and give young fans reasons to believe again.
What Schottenheimer Offers to Dallas
While having no head coaching experience, Schottenheimer has been around the league as an offensive coordinator. He hasn’t always had success, though.
He’s been an OC for 14 seasons and has ranked in the bottom half in points per game for half of them. This was his fifth season in which his offense ranked below 20th in points per game.
Giving him a pass for this season is acceptable, as the Cowboys lost quarterback Dak Prescott for the season, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb wasn’t 100% healthy, and Pro Bowl guard Zack Martin missed time.
Dallas’ offense ranked 23rd in PFN’s Offense+ metric after ranking fourth in the season prior. Schottenheimer has seen more success recently, guiding four straight top-10 scoring offenses with the Seattle Seahawks and Cowboys before struggling this season.
Dallas’ new HC brings plenty of experience, but the results haven’t always been there. He will offer the Cowboys some continuity and familiarity on the offensive side of the ball. Yet, as a first-time head coach, he’ll have to adapt quickly to try to have instant success in order to live up to what Dallas is expecting from him.