FRISCO, Texas – When the Cowboys began this head coach search, prepared to interview the likes of defensive-minded coaches like Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier and, of course, the name of Kellen Moore was being bandied about, learned there was another candidate.
Someone whose name had not come up on the list of usual suspects.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, here comes the name catching most by surprise.
Brian Schottenheimer.
And don't think this is the Cowboys picking a name out of the hat. This has been a possibility ever since the Cowboys and Mike McCarthy could not come to an agreement on the length of a contract extension. Not exactly the consolation potential hire it's being portrayed to be since Detroit coordinators Ben Johnson has taken the Chicago Bearss head coaching job and Aaron Glenn, as expected, lands with the Jets. And let's understand, even though there are NFL restrictions on interviews, guarantee you their agents had been negotiating these deals behind the scenes.
Face it. Schotty has coached 25 years in the NFL. Three years in college. These past three seasons here with the Cowboys, adding a 10th NFL stop to his résumé, first as a team consultant in 2021 with an eye toward analyzing the defense, and the last two as the non-play-calling offensive coordinator after McCarthy took on those duties following Moore's departure in 2023, and remember at the time of that much to Dak Prescott's chagrin.
So what then makes Schottenheimer a potential appealing choice? Other than being raised by his head coach father Marty Schottenheimer, who was an NFL lifer and head coach for the original Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, the then Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers over 21 years total, not to mention a six-year NFL playing career and 10 more years as an NFL assistant coach. And remember, it was Marty who gave McCarthy his first job as an NFL assistant back in 1993 with the Chiefs when Brian was but 20 years old.
Think about it, the now 51-year-old Schottenheimer spent all but his first few months of his formative years as the son of an NFL coach.
Again, why potentially Schottenheimer, who was in for his second interview on Wednesday?
Remember what pointed out on Friday. No matter who is hired as the Cowboys' 10th head coach in the franchise's now 66-year history, then you must tell me who is the offensive coordinator, if indeed it's not Moore? My guess would be if it's Brian as the head coach, that answers the coordinator's job, too, and continuity in an offense that already has changed three times since Dak arrived in 2016 is more than enough. Don't need a third time in now five years.
And it's not as if Schotty hasn't been an offensive coordinator in more than name only previously. Three times in the NFL and one year at the University of Georgia. First, from 2006-11 with the Jets, finishing second in the AFC East four times and third twice, and on top of that qualifying for the playoffs three times and advancing to the AFC Championship Bame twice, losing to the Colts and Steelers. Plus, during that 2009 season, the Jets advanced to the AFC Championship Game with rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez.
From there, Schottenheimer became the St. Louis Rams' OC under head coach Jeff Fisher (2012-14). There, he was saddled with injury-torn QB Sam Bradford, then the likes of Kellen Clemens, Shaun Hill and Austin Davis, who, by the way, put up 31 points in a 34-31 loss to the playoff-bound Cowboys during the 2014 season, completing 30 of 42 passes for 327 yards, two touchdowns, one pick and a 98.0 QB rating.
Later, it was on to being the OC of the Seattle Seahawks (2018-20) with Russell Wilson as his quarterback, and in 2020 the Seahawks went 12-4, winning the NFC West and scoring a franchise-record 459 points, averaging 28.7 a game while working for Pete Carroll, the third of three playoff appearances during his reign there.
So even though hopscotching around, Schottenheimer has produced success as an offensive coordinator, not to mention taking on rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence in Jacksonville as the passing game coordinator in Urban Meyer's lone NFL head coaching season (2-11) before getting fired. And as we know, assistants go down with head coach, and with the Jags hiring Doug Pederson as head coach, he was going to run that offense, but since has been recently fired.
Got to believe Dak is a proponent of Schottenheimer, and don't forget with the amount of money the Cowboys have invested in Dak, better make sure he's happy. Always good to have the quarterback in your corner. Seems to have the personality to command the room, judging from how Brian handles his weekly coordinator's media sessions during these past two seasons.
Hopefully this is completed sooner than later if Schotty is going to get his, uh, shot.
- Now Then DC: That's right, now the question becomes if the head coach is not a defensive guy, who takes over on the other side of the ball. Does Mike Zimmer want to remain the defensive coordinator, which sure wouldn't be a bad thing, right? Especially after the defense grew some teeth in the latter part of the season, and considering what Zimm had to say there toward the end, pointing out, "I was just doing things I was uncomfortable with. I had to just do what I had to do. So here was the situation: They were good last year, right? So I came in and I didn't really want to rock the boat. I probably wasn't as tough as I typically am. I probably wasn't as hard-headed about things – about how I wanted to do things – is the best way to say it. I wasn't, and that's what I regret the most." But if Zimm if wants to go on to his ranch in Kentucky and enjoy life, here is a thought for DC, and the guy is available, at least now. How about former Cowboys linebackers coach Matt Eberflus, recently fired as the Bears' head coach? He has served as the DC and associate head coach at the University of Missouri and in four seasons as the Colts' DC before getting the job with the Bears. Pretty sharp defensive mind. Problem with the Bears, he's a defensive-minded coach who couldn't fix the putrid offense, even with the first pick in the NFL Draft, QB Caleb Williams. Keep Flus in mind.
- No Bones: Too bad John "Bones" Fassel, with contract expiring like the rest of the Cowboys assistant coaches, decided to pick up stakes and take the special teams coordinator position with the Tennessee Titans. A good hand, and my understanding is the Cowboys were working to retain him despite not having made up their minds on the head coach position.
- Reckless History: Now, it's open season to criticize the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones, but careful about piling on. Get the facts right about how the Cowboys hired Jason Garrett to initially an unspecified position with an eye toward offensive coordinator back in 2007 before eventually naming Wade Phillips as head coach. So now, 18 years later, for those who weren't out of their diapers back then, assuming, well, that's Jerry putting the cart before the horse. Not so. Get this, after Garrett had spent just two years as the Dolphins QB coach under head coach Nick Saban, offers were swirling. Saban wanted to bring Garrett to Alabama, where he bailed from Miami to become the Crimson Tide's head coach. Former Cowboys assistant Butch Davis was calling for permission to bring Jason to Cleveland with him. Calls came in from the Rams, LSU, North Carolina, and since he was still under contract for another season with the Dolphins, they wanted to extend his three-year contract. Because of that, Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga refused them all permission to talk with Jason. Except the Cowboys, knowing Jason had played there, lived there all those years. Huizenga did Jones and Jason a favor, told Jerry that week he had a Thursday deadline if he was going to hire Jason. So still not having decided on a head, coach, and did not officially hire Wilson until Feb. 8, the Cowboys met the deadline or else. They hired Garrett on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007. So stop the rhetoric, and now you know the factual story.
- Short-Handed Shots: On Feb. 15, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame will induct former Cowboys defensive end Ed "Too Tall" Jones as one of eight in the Class of 2025 in Waco, Texas, honoring his 15-year career, matching the second longest in franchise history to only Jason Witten and L.P. Ladouceur (16) … And going into the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame Class of 2025 this year will be former Cowboys defensive back Dennis Thurman and linebacker Darrin Smith … And remember warning the Detroit Lions about the Washington Commanders "charmed existence" this season, well, the charm struck once again in a 31-28 Commanders lead. Facing a fourth-and-2 at the Detroit 5-yard line, lining up to go for the first down and, of all things, the play is stopped: Lions had 12 guys on the field, half the distance and of course Washington scored two plays later to take a commanding 38-28 lead in the 45-31 walloping of the No. 1 seed … So same goes to the Eagles on Sunday … Be, be beware.
And allow me once again to have the last word this week, pertaining to this Cowboys' head coach search, along with restructuring the coaching staff since all contracts also have expired.
See nothing wrong in this idea of bringing on former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten as an assistant coach in some capacity, giving him a start to a potential NFL coaching career. Great player. Smart player. Knows his football, even if only exhibited coaching on the high school level at Liberty Christian on the TAPPS level in Argyle, Texas, where his two sons have played. Witten the head coach has won back-to-back private school state titles at a school that had three consecutive losing seasons before he arrived in 2022. And he seems itching to break into the NFL.
Hey, if nothing else, Witten can become the "accountability" coach.
