The Dallas Cowboys officially announced the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach, following their decision to part ways with Mike McCarthy.
Schottenheimer, who has served as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, originally joined the team in 2022 as a coaching analyst.
After interviewing several candidates for the role, the Cowboys determined Schottenheimer to be the most suitable choice.
His promotion comes at a critical juncture for the Cowboys, who are looking to rebound after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
While he’s very much respected, we all know that Cowboys fans weren’t exactly thrilled with Jerry Jones’ decision to hire Schottenheimer.
On that note, FS1’s Colin Cowherd went as far as grading the hiring of Schottenheimer a “D” – calling the move “uninspiring.”
“The Cowboys (with) Brian Schottenheimer feels absolutely uninspiring. It’s a D,” Cowherd said on The Herd. “Friday late news dump is embarrassing. Again, the last time he was a hot coordinator was 12-14 years ago. I think the Cowboys got caught flat-footed and this is what it looks like.”
Jones, aware of the criticism circulating, addressed the backlash during a press conference on Monday.
With a touch of defiance, he made it clear that the decision was far from being an attempt to play it safe.
“Now I get my proverbial sh*t kicked over needing people in my comfort zone. Without this thing being about me in any way, if you don’t think I can’t operate outside my comfort zone, you’re so wrong it’s unbelievable,” Jones said. “This is as big a risk as you can take.”
In addition to Cowherd, former Pro Bowl quarterback Alex Smith was among the harshest critics of the decision to hire Schottenheimer.
”Listen, I wish [Schottenheimer] well. I know him a little bit. He’s a long time, really good football coach. He’s never been a head football coach, right? And he hasn’t interviewed for a head coaching job in a long time,” Smith said on ESPN’s NFL Countdown.
“And to think about how this entire process went down, it makes me question if the Dallas Cowboys are even serious about winning. Listen to the group they interviewed: Kellen Moore, Robert Saleh, Leslie Frazier and Brian Schottenheimer. They didn’t even take a look at the most promising candidates out there.
“You haven’t been to an NFC Championship Game since 1995, and that is the worst in the conference by a long shot. Next is the Bears, and it was 2010. So by all measures, from a postseason success standpoint, you are the worst team in the conference, right? The entire thing is bizarre and doesn’t make sense. Again, I like Schotty, but is this an upgrade over Mike McCarthy?”
Though Schottenheimer has never been a head coach before, he now faces the challenge of leading the Cowboys back to postseason contention and, more crucially, advancing beyond the divisional rounds – a feat the team hasn’t achieved since the 1995 season.
As Schottenheimer steps into his new role, the Cowboys also turn their attention to the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft and free agency.
Free agency will kick off in March, followed by the draft in April, as the team aims to bolster its roster for the next season.
Needless to say, there is plenty of work to do for Schottenheimer and company…
Meanwhile, Cowherd didn’t hold back when offering his opinions on other NFL head coaching hires.
While he gave the Cowboys’ promotion of Schottenheimer the lowest grade of all, he also wasn’t blown away by the New York Jets’ decision to hire Aaron Glenn as their new head coach, awarding the move a “C.”
On a more positive note, Cowherd graded the Chicago Bears’ hire of Ben Johnson an “A-“, praising his potential but citing his lack of experience as a downside.
The New England Patriots’ hiring of Mike Vrabel earned an enthusiastic “A” from Cowherd as he noted Vrabel’s elite experience and close-ties to New England as being key.
Cowherd also awarded an “A” to the Las Vegas Raiders after they brought in Pete Carroll, praising his energy and experience in a competitive division.
Getting back to Big D, what are your thoughts on Jones’ decision to hire Schottenheimer?
Do you think he will end up being the right man to break the Cowboys’ long Super Bowl drought???
