After a relatively short search, the Cowboys have officially made the decision to promote offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer into the role of head coach, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Schottenheimer, 51, was one of only four candidates who interviewed for the position and will now be working his first-ever head coaching role. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the deal will be for four years. Although this marks the second straight narrow HC search for the Cowboys, Schottenheimer was not a candidate anywhere else — and has not been for several years. He was believed to be vying for the role with OC predecessor Kellen Moore, after the likes of Deion Sanders and Jason Witten surfaced as unorthodox candidates. While Schottenheimer supplies far more experience in coaching, his hire may not be too much less surprising than a Sanders or Witten appointment would have been.
Brian Schottenheimer, the son of former standout HC Marty Schottenheimer, has been with the Cowboys for three years now. His first was simply as a consultant, but he was quickly promoted to offensive coordinator when Moore was dismissed. While he inherited an offense that finished third in scoring and 10th in yardage in 2022, the Cowboys finished as the top scoring offense with the fifth-most yards in Schottenheimer’s first season as the team’s OC.
The 2024 Cowboys offense finished 21st in scoring and 17th in total yards, though it’s important to note that Schottenheimer did not call plays during his tenure in Dallas. Dak Prescott also went down midway through the season, gutting the team’s chances at a rebound. While Prescott still stumped for Mike McCarthy to be retained, an unexpected half-measure of sorts is taking place via the Schottenheimer promotion.
This week’s two Schottenheimer interviews and steady rumors notwithstanding, it marks a stunning rise for the second-generation NFL coach. Schottenheimer has, however, been an NFL assistant dating back to the late 1990s and has enjoyed three OC opportunities in the league. He has served as an NFL OC for 11 combined seasons, doing so with the Jets, Rams and Cowboys.
A former backup quarterback behind Danny Wuerffel at Florida under Steve Spurrier, Schottenheimer got his start in the NFL immediately out of college. He started his well-traveled coaching career as a coaching assistant in St. Louis before taking the same job under his father, in Kansas City. The next two years saw him coach wide receivers at Syracuse and tight ends at USC before returning to the NFL for the Washington gig. He then coached QBs for four years in San Diego before earning his first offensive coordinator opportunity for the Jets.
After six seasons in New York, Schottenheimer received walking papers midway through Rex Ryan‘s tenure. Schottenheimer ended up as Jeff Fisher‘s first OC in St. Louis (in 2012), leaving after the 2014 season to take the same job under Mark Richt at Georgia. Following Richt’s dismissal, Schottenheimer returned to the NFL as the Colts’ quarterbacks coach in 2016, staying for only two years before scoring his next coordinator opportunity with the Seahawks. Despite relative success in Seattle, Schottenheimer was fired due to “philosophical differences.” He rebounded for a year as passing game coordinator in Jacksonville before arriving in Dallas in 2022.
Schottenheimer’s history as a play-caller has been rocky. In stints with the Jets, Rams, Seahawks, and Jaguars where he called plays, Schottenheimer was often criticized for conservative play-calling. The “philosophical differences” in Seattle was externally perceived as a limitation of Russell Wilson‘s athletic and improvisational style with questionable play-calling. That said, Wilson’s Hall of Fame case will certainly hinge on his post-Legion of Boom work in Seattle; Schottenheimer played a big part in that period of the decorated QB’s career. Criticism toward Seattle’s then-OC aside, the Seahawks ranked as a top-10 offense in each season and went 3-for-3 in playoff appearances in that span.
Any method to spin this in a positive direction, however, may be difficult due to another odd HC transition under Jerry Jones taking place. Schottenheimer’s hiring after a quick interview process continues what’s been a questionable string of decisions by the Cowboys’ owner/president/general manager.
While Schottenheimer could certainly work out in the job, Jones’ seemingly lazy handling of the decision not to extend McCarthy’s contract is a continuance of inaction that saw over-inflated extensions for Prescott and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb as a result of rising market costs from extensions that got done earlier. Jones’ tendency to wait on important decisions, as he did when waiting to drop Jason Garrett after the 2019 season, continues to limit the team’s options and handicap their leverage in negotiations.
In addition to news about the head coaching hire, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler has reported that the team has homed in on former Bears head coach Matt Eberflus as their prime candidate to serve as defensive coordinator under Schottenheimer. Some beat reporters for the team mistakenly reported that Eberflus had been hired to the position, but as Ed Werder of WFAA notes, they are required to conduct interviews before making the final decision to hire a candidate. The Cowboys must meet with at least one external minority candidate before an Eberflus hire can take place.
Regardless of the unusual route the Cowboys took to make this happen, Schottenheimer becomes the 10th head coach in the franchise’s storied history. Schottenheimer follows some big names for the position in Dallas, and expectations will be for him to turn around a franchise that has seen continued regular-season success but has not been to an NFC championship game in 30 years — the longest such drought in the conference by a significant margin.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Guess nobody from the outside wanted it
Not like they really offered it to too many outsiders
Pathetic continues Pathetic
Omg this seems like a horrible hire. I’m not a Cowboys fan but he’s never really don’t that well as an OC. Maybe he’s a better administrator than innovator.
I’ve given Jerry the benefit of the doubt up to now but this is the one that makes me think it’s time to find some new heads of football.
As I said when this rumor emerged, if you’d asked me when the offseason started to come up with a list of uninspiring coach candidates, everyone on my list would have been more inspiring than this. This is a bonkers hire.
I think he’ll be good as a head coach
I’m done with moron football jerra and his son ..done
What a f#&%ing joke!!! This guy is officially senile!!! I’m a Cowboys fan since 1970 and I’m out until the ownership changes!
Solid tantrum!
Brian proved to be the most spineless. Perfect hire for Jerry. I heard Eberflus is going to be DC
Not one person, including myself know, who they spoke to, who declined, or how many coaches will remain based on this choice? Nobody knows the key players input? You can bark as Cowboy fans do, but if he wins, it doesn’t matter who they pick? They had a SB winning coach the past 5 years and he got whipped year after year by younger, less experienced coaches. So relax.
meh.. This looks like a Jerry Jones puppet hire.
Cowboy followers have never been known to be members of any type of deep thinking crowd.
No way Jerry was going to hire Deion to be the face of the franchise.
We do know who they talked to. You are right in that we do not know who was offered the position. But face it. It is unlikely that several turned it down they knew who was in charge when they talked to Jerry. Plus it is the Cowboy way to over react just like most fan bases.
wonder if he’ll call the plays now he’s the head coach ?
It’s probably better for their success if he doesn’t call the plays. As a UGA fan, I was incredibly disappointed in Shottenheimer during hisntime as their OC.
He lacked creativity, and he was extremely predictable. From what I’m reading on here, it doesn’t seem like much has really changed.
I’m surprised more Cowboys fans aren’t rioting!! I would be EXTREMELY disappointed and not happy at all if even UGA rehired him as just their OC.
I cannot imagine how aggravated and ticked off Cowboys fans are right now. He’s clearly a downgrade from Big Mike, but who knows, maybe he will be a better leader and in-game decision makes than a playcaller?
Calling plays isn’t for everyone, so it could work out. Although, even with that being said, all the long list of blatant errors and mistakes the Cowboys and Jerry Jones has made here recently blows my mind.
Besides, I thought a little while back one of his son’s was taking over. I recall he did, and they had some success, and I think Jerry had to come back because he couldn’t take his own son getting any credit over him. Maybe I’m wrong, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all..lol
Their mishandling of Dak’s contracts both times, coaching searches, free agency gaffes, poor extensions, poor coordinator hires, etc. the list just continues getting longer for old Jerry, and it might not be much longer before the fans try to force him out….
Jerry wants a head coach he can lord over. Period. Cowboys fans should be disgusted. Your owner just wants to play with his toys.
This screams bridge HC until Belechik or Deion become interested or available.
Not going to happen. Jerry wouldn’t be able to control Deion or Belichick. Jerry is only interested in coaches he can shove around. Garrett–McCarthy–Schottenheimer. No other team was clamoring for these guys to be their HC. But they all excel at taking orders from JJ.
This is the new head coach for The Dallas Cowboys. America’s Team.
Wow…
Dallas Cowboys,
AMERICAS TEAM
Is that a joke ??
They have been for the last 30 years
Only in the minds of Cowboys fans.
Sherm… Yep.
The Cowboys WERE America’s Team. But that was from the 1970’s to the 1990’s. If you think otherwise you weren’t a fan during that time. The Steelers were better in the 70’s and the 49ers were better in the 80’s but through both of those decades (and into the 90’s) it was the Cowboys that put butts in seats when on the road. And eyeballs on televisions on Sunday or Monday when the Cowboys invariably were on a national broadcast. But, the name hasn’t fit for 35 years.
Imagine promoting your OC who led the team to a mediocre offence as HC… Here comes another year of mediocrity thanks to Jerry’s ego
The silver lining here is that Eberflus as actually a very good coordinator.
As long as you don’t leave him in charge of calling time outs 🙂
Eberflus was a very solid DC in Indy, and a hell of a linebackers coach in his first go around with Dallas. Just not a good HC. I like the hire.
Meanwhile … Slowik is out there in the parking lot
What a terrible hire.
Marty was a very good head coach. I’m not at all certain that his son will be. This seems like Jason Garrett “Lite” to me.
It’s not news to me. I told everyone yesterday morning that he was hired and they were finalizing a contract
It’s not news to anyone with a brain. So…congrats?
you didn’t know until you read this article. FYI: My brain is massive.
We need to give the guy a chance. It’s his first time as HC. Nobody knows if he will be good or bad. Time will tell if it’s a good or bad hire. Having said that, given this hire, why not just bring Mike back? Esp since the qb wanted him.
It didn’t surprise me that Deion Sanders didn’t get the head coaching job.
JERRY JONES HAS NEVER HIRED A BLACK HEAD COACH FOR THE DALLAS COWBOYS!!!!!
I don’t think he will ever. He don’t mind having black players or assistant coaches but he’s not the type of owner that wants a black head coach of his team.
That’s why if I’m a black man I won’t even waste my time interviewing or talking on the phone to him about being the head coach.
40% of the teams in the league have never hired a black head coach
Micah should demand a trade rather than sign a new contract. Who wants to lose every year?
They won 12 games in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
and 4 playoff wins since the year 2000. that’s greasy, julian
Fair enough. But never did anything in the playoffs and this hire looks like a disaster in the making.
Oh, I’m not saying the Cowboys are a model franchise. JJ is really hamstringing the team with his incessant involvement. And their playoff record this century is not good. But let’s not act like they’re the Browns or Jaguars. There are reasons a player might not want to play in Dallas, but being a losing franchise isn’t one of them.
Old rich white guy hires the kid of a guy he knows for a job other people were more qualified for…
This IS America’s team.
Does Jerry think outside the box? Had chances for a younger new fresh start at coach. This team will never improve sticking to the old style nfl thinking and management.
Jerry wants a head coach he can control. He’s knows he’s not getting a Belichick, Shanahan, McVay, or Harbaugh with his amount of meddling. And he’s apparently cool with that because he’d rather act like a fantasy football owner and call all the shots as opposed to bringing in an elite coach who can get his team to the Super Bowl.
And the fans keep throwing money his way. Team has very passionate fans and deserves more.
Well the Cowboys certainly are not relevant for their play on the field so keep hogging the spot light Jerry and keep those television cameos coming you are such an outstanding actor.
You guys are beauties. If a team hires a coach that got fired elsewhere, you complain that the NFL is nothing but an old boys network. If they hire a guy that hasn’t had a head coaching job, you complain about that. All that said, it sure is fun to watch all of you do your thing.
Welcome to the internet.
If the Cowboys are seriously considering Eberflus for DC, after all the stuff players from two teams have said about his lack of accountability in his own decisions, they have to be nuts and invite the Defense into quitting like they did in Chicago.
As an Eagles fan, thank you. Prime Time would have been spectacular, but we’ll take this.