Can New Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer Turn The Cowboys Around?

Initially searching beyond the organization for a new head coach, the Dallas Cowboys promoted their own offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer, to fill the head coaching vacancy left by Mike McCarthy. They officially named him the 10th coach in franchise history.

Schottenheimer interviewed this week with owner Jerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones, and vice president of player personnel Will McClay. He has earned respect within the organization, particularly through his strong relationship with quarterback Dak Prescott, but he is now preparing to take on his first head coaching role.

He finalized a four-year contract with the Cowboys.

“Brian Schottenheimer is known as a career assistant,” Jones said. “He ain’t Brian no more. He is now known as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”

Schottenheimer now begins the process of assembling his staff. Former Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus is a strong candidate for the defensive coordinator position. He previously served as an assistant with the franchise from 2011-2017.

The Cowboys also explored other candidates, interviewing Seahawks assistant coach Leslie Frazier, former Jets head coach Robert Saleh, and Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who had a five-year tenure with the organization, including a stint as offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022.

Schottenheimer began his time with the Cowboys in 2022 as a consultant, where he worked mainly alongside former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. After Moore left for the Chargers in 2022 and McCarthy took over playcalling, he was elevated to offensive coordinator.

His coaching career includes stints as offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams, Jets, Seahawks and Cowboys. Before joining Dallas, he was the passing game coordinator for the Jaguars in 2021.

Over his 12 years as a playcaller, Schottenheimer led four offenses to top-10 finishes in points per game, with three of his units ranking in the league’s top half in yards per game. His most successful stretch came with the Seahawks, where his offense ranked sixth, ninth, and eighth in points per game, led by quarterback Russell Wilson.

While he did not handle playcalling under McCarthy, he had a major impact on the offense. He was a driving force in turning the offense around in 2023. The Cowboys, who scored over 30 points in seven of their last 11 games, led the league in scoring (29.9 PPG) and finished fifth in yards (371.6 YPG).