The Dallas Cowboys, often referred to as “America’s Team,” are one of the most iconic and valuable franchises in the NFL. Despite their status and rich history, their coaching search seems to be taking an unexpected turn. With many of the top coaching candidates already secured by other teams, the Cowboys appear to be heading toward a unique and possibly surprising resolution to their coaching search. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops, considering the team’s high expectations and the weight of their iconic status.
When the Dallas Cowboys initially parted ways with Mike McCarthy, who had delivered three 12-win seasons, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore quickly became the favorite to take over. Moore, a former Cowboys quarterback who had served as their offensive coordinator, seemed like the perfect fit for the job. He had the offensive prowess that team owner Jerry Jones desired, and his familiarity with the Cowboys’ system made him a natural candidate for the role. However, despite these favorable conditions, the outcome of the search is now looking more uncertain than many initially expected.
Kellen Moore, at just 36 years old, quickly made his mark on the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff after his playing career ended in 2017. He began as the quarterbacks coach and was promoted just two years later to offensive coordinator and play-caller. Team owner Jerry Jones saw Moore as a rising star in the coaching world, with the potential to one day become the Cowboys’ head coach. Moore’s rapid rise within the organization and his offensive acumen made him a logical and highly anticipated candidate when the team parted ways with Mike McCarthy.
After the 2022 season, Kellen Moore left the Cowboys, and Mike McCarthy assumed the play-calling responsibilities for Dallas. Moore moved on to become the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers. In 2024, Moore played a significant role in the Eagles’ NFC Championship Game, taking over play-calling for the team. While Moore wasn’t viewed as a top head-coach candidate by most NFL teams, many believed he would be the logical choice for Jerry Jones to replace McCarthy as the Cowboys’ head coach, given his familiarity with the organization and his rising reputation.
It appears that the Dallas Cowboys are making a surprising shift in their coaching search, with reports indicating that they are now “hyper-focused” on promoting current offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach. Initially considered a strong candidate, Schottenheimer’s position has apparently evolved, and team officials are now focused on how to “build around Schotty.” According to reporter Clarence Hill Jr., the Cowboys were expected to finalize a deal to promote Schottenheimer as head coach very soon, marking a major change in direction for the franchise. This decision would come after the team previously considered Kellen Moore, but it seems the Cowboys are now committed to elevating Schottenheimer.
Brian Schottenheimer’s journey to potentially becoming the Dallas Cowboys head coach has certainly taken an interesting path. At 51, Schottenheimer joined the Cowboys in 2022 as a coaching analyst under Mike McCarthy, bringing with him a wealth of experience, including his time as the passing game coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars. His most recent stint as a play-caller was with the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. While he hasn’t been a head coach before, his time as an offensive coordinator and play-caller gives him the coaching background necessary to step into a more prominent leadership role. With the Cowboys reportedly zeroing in on him as their next head coach, Schottenheimer’s familiarity with the team and its offensive system could make for a smooth transition.
Brian Schottenheimer’s time as the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator was marked by some struggles, particularly down the stretch in 2020. Despite having a solid start to the season in terms of scoring and yardage, the Seahawks finished 27th in third-down conversion rate, a key stat for keeping drives alive and maintaining offensive momentum. The offense also underperformed in terms of efficiency, ranking 13th in Expected Points Added (EPA) per play and 16th in Success Rate during the 2021-2022 seasons.
The inability to sustain success as the season progressed led to Schottenheimer’s firing after the 2020 campaign. Given those challenges, Schottenheimer’s potential hiring as the Cowboys’ head coach may raise some questions about how his offense would perform under high expectations, especially in big moments and critical situations. However, it’s worth noting that Schottenheimer has had success in other offensive roles, and the Cowboys might believe his experience could help them reach the next level.
Schottenheimer’s ability to adapt his offensive schemes to his personnel is certainly one of his strengths, which could be valuable in a Cowboys team with a variety of offensive talent. However, his offenses have often been viewed as relatively basic, lacking the creative edge that many modern offenses feature. This could be a concern in a league that increasingly emphasizes innovative play-calling and schemes, especially with the more dynamic, fast-paced offenses seen around the league.
Promoting Schottenheimer to head coach does appear to be a cost-saving move for Jerry Jones, which makes sense from a financial perspective. With many teams offering large salaries to bring in top coordinators, it’s unlikely that Jones would use the savings to upgrade the rest of the coaching staff. This approach could be seen as an attempt to build around Schottenheimer’s vision without making significant changes to the budget, which might not satisfy fans or other league observers expecting more from a team of Dallas’ caliber.
If Schottenheimer does become head coach, it will be interesting to see how he balances the need for a more innovative, aggressive offense with his reputation for simplicity and whether he can make adjustments to lead the Cowboys back into serious Super Bowl contention.
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