FRISCO, Texas — After trying exterior the group for Mike McCarthy’s alternative, the Dallas Cowboys selected offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer because the tenth coach in franchise historical past, the workforce introduced Friday night time.
This week, Schottenheimer interviewed with proprietor Jerry Jones, government vp Stephen Jones and vp of participant personnel Will McClay. He has a robust relationship with quarterback Dak Prescott and has related effectively with individuals within the group, however this will likely be his first head teaching job.
“Brian Schottenheimer is called a profession assistant,” Jones informed ESPN. “He ain’t Brian no extra. He’s now often known as the pinnacle coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”
Schottenheimer and the Cowboys agreed to a four-year deal, sources mentioned.
Although Schottenheimer nonetheless has to rent his workers, sources informed ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler that former Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus is a candidate for the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator job. Eberflus was a Cowboys assistant from 2011 to 2017.
The Cowboys additionally interviewed Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier, former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who coached with the Cowboys for 5 seasons, spending 2019 to 2022 as their offensive coordinator.
Schottenheimer, 51, joined the Cowboys in 2022 as a marketing consultant, working principally with former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. When Moore left for the Los Angeles Chargers in 2022 after McCarthy took over playcalling duties, Schottenheimer was employed because the offensive coordinator.
Schottenheimer’s father, Marty, was the pinnacle coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Washington and San Diego Chargers. As a coach, Marty Schottenheimer made the playoffs 18 occasions in 21 years and reached the AFC Championship Sport 3 times (twice with the Browns and as soon as with the Chiefs). His 200 regular-season wins are seventh most in NFL historical past.
In Jones’ period as proprietor, the one different Cowboys head coach to be employed with out head teaching expertise was Dave Campo, who posted a 15-33 file from 2000 to 2002. Jason Garrett served because the interim head coach in 2010 earlier than touchdown the full-time job in 2011. He lasted till 2019.
Schottenheimer has been an offensive coordinator with the St. Louis Rams, Jets, Seahawks and Cowboys. He served because the Jacksonville Jaguars’ passing sport coordinator in 2021 earlier than coming to Dallas.
In 12 years as a playcaller, Schottenheimer had 4 offenses end within the high 10 in factors per sport, and 3 times his offenses had been within the high half within the league in yards per sport. His finest three years got here with the Seahawks, once they completed sixth, ninth and eighth in factors per sport with Russell Wilson at quarterback.
Although he didn’t name performs below McCarthy, Schottenheimer had a big function within the offense. Crew sources say he helped jump-start the offense in 2023. The Cowboys, who scored 30 or extra factors in seven of their last 11 video games, completed with the highest-scoring offense within the league (29.9 PPG) and had been fifth in yards (371.6 YPG) that season.
In 2024, the Cowboys’ offense struggled, averaging 20.6 factors and 327.5 yards per sport. Although curtailed attributable to accidents, significantly to Prescott, the Cowboys scored 30 or extra factors simply 3 times this season. The Cowboys and McCarthy opted to half methods Jan. 13 after it turned clear the size of a possible extension was a difficulty, in line with a number of sources.
McCarthy went 49-35 within the common season with the Cowboys, posting three straight 12-5 marks from 2021 to 2023, however he could not proceed the playoff success he had with the Inexperienced Bay Packers. The Cowboys had been simply 1-3 within the postseason, dropping two video games at AT&T Stadium, together with a 48-32 defeat to the Packers within the wild-card spherical after the Cowboys entered that sport with a 16-game residence profitable streak.
Schottenheimer will likely be tasked to take the Cowboys to their first Tremendous Bowl look since 1995 — a 29-year drought.