Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys hired offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as the team's next head coach on Friday night, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schottenheimer has served as Dallas' offensive coordinator in each of the past two seasons, previously holding the same role on the Seattle Seahawks from 2018-20.

Schefter noted that the Cowboys spoke to multiple candidates throughout the hiring process, which included a conversation with Colorado head coach Deion Sanders. They ultimately went with Schottenheimer, though.

Fans didn't exactly praise the move.

Dallas started its search for a new head coach after parting ways with Mike McCarthy on Jan. 13.

Schottenheimer could quickly fill out his staff, as ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that former Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is considered a "prime candidate" to take over as the Cowboys' defensive coordinator.

Dallas interviewed Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore before choosing Schottenheimer (via ESPN's Todd Archer).

The Cowboys held two interviews with Schottenheimer throughout the week leading up to his hiring, with the first lasting for nearly four hours. He spoke with team owner Jerry Jones, executive vice president Stephen Jones and vice president of player personnel Will McClay, per Archer.

"Brian Schottenheimer is known as a career assistant," Jerry said on Friday, via Schefter. "He ain't Brian no more. He is now known as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys."

Dallas' first year with Schottenheimer as offensive coordinator was successful, as its average of 29.9 points per game was the best mark in the NFL during the 2023 season. The Cowboys also recorded 371.6 yards per game, the fifth-highest average in the league.

Their offense took a step back in 2024, as their scoring average of 20.6 points each week ranked No. 21 among all teams. It's worth noting that Dallas dealt with several injuries to key players, including quarterback Dak Prescott.

As the Cowboys attempt to bounce back in 2025, they now have a first-time head coach in Schottenheimer.

After moving on from head coach Mike McCarthy when his contract expired at the end of the 2024 season, the Dallas Cowboys are officially set to begin a new era.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Cowboys hired Brian Schottenheimer as their next head coach on Friday. The deal is for four years, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones expressed his support for Schottenheimer as he revealed the news.

"Brian Schottenheimer is known as a career assistant," Jones said, per Schefter. "He ain't Brian no more. He is now known as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys."

The Cowboys interviewed Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, former Minnesota Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier and had a conversation with Colorado head coach Deion Sanders before choosing Schottenheimer (via Schefter).

A coaching veteran who had his first assistant job in the NFL in 1997 at the age of 24, Schottenheimer originally joined Dallas as a coaching analyst in 2022 before taking over as the team's offensive coordinator in 2023. The team led the league in scoring at 29.9 points per game in his first year in the role, but that number dropped to 20.6 ppg in 2024 amid a tumultuous year.

The 51-year-old is taking over a Cowboys team that went 7-10 in its final year under McCarthy. Dallas will have the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Injuries played a key factor in the Cowboys' lost season. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott was lost for the year after just eight games due to hamstring surgery. Star edge rusher Micah Parsons also missed four games with a left ankle sprain.

Still, the Cowboys have enough talent to compete with elite teams if they can stay healthy. Prescott and CeeDee Lamb are one of the top quarterback-receiver tandems in the league, and Dallas has a solid core on defense that should be able to bounce back from its disappointing showing this past season under a new staff.

Despite not winning a Super Bowl nor advancing past the Divisional Round of the playoffs since 1995, the Cowboys still remain under the spotlight as one of the most popular teams in the NFL. It will be up to Schottenheimer to quell the outside noise and deliver in the face of pressure.

Schottenheimer's promotion to head coach should provide fans with some hope for a brighter future in Dallas after the franchise's recent run of disappointment.

The Dallas Cowboys were reportedly among the teams interested in Mike Vrabel before he became head coach of the New England Patriots.

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Patriots owner Robert Kraft was also aware of Dallas' interest in Vrabel.

"The Dallas Cowboys, too," Russini said on her Scoop City podcast (12:00 mark). "A lot of people don't know that. Guess who knew that? Robert Kraft knew that. Robert Kraft knew the Jones family had an interest [in Mike Vrabel]."

The Patriots hired Vrabel on Jan. 12 after firing former head coach Jerod Mayo at the end of the 2024 season.

As for the Cowboys, they're still searching for a head coach after parting ways with Mike McCarthy on Jan. 13.

Vrabel's successful track record as a head coach at the NFL level made him one of the top options during the latest hiring cycle, with ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reporting on Dec. 11 that the 49-year-old was viewed as a "prime" coaching candidate. Fowler also listed the Cowboys as a potential landing spot for him at the time.

Vrabel served as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2018-23, finishing with a 54-45 record. The Titans made the playoffs three separate times during his tenure, including an AFC Championship Game appearance during the 2019 season.

Dallas has interviewed several candidates for its vacancy including offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra).

Schottenheimer appears to be a strong candidate for the opening, as the Cowboys have already conducted two interviews with him.

Dallas reportedly eyed Vrabel after moving on from McCarthy, but the team didn't entice him enough to pass up on the Patriots' head coaching role.

Bobby Slowik's sudden availability is not changing the Dallas Cowboys' timeline for its head coach search.

The Houston Texans' sudden firing of Slowik as the team's offensive coordinator on Friday sent a shockwave through the NFL. While he could be an intriguing option for several vacancies, including the Cowboys' vacant head coach position, Jane Slater of NFL Network reported that Dallas will not be inquiring with Slowik.

Slowik was the Texans' offensive coordinator from 2023-2024. Prior to that, Slowik was the passing game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

Slowik worked with Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in 2023 as the then-rookie threw for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions in 15 games under his tutelage as Houston went 10-7 and reached the Divisional Round of the postseason while Stroud won the offensive rookie of the year award.

The Texans' record and playoff journey was the same in 2024 but Stroud and the Texans' offense regressed. The second-year quarterback threw for 3,727 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions despite playing in two more games.

The offense as a whole also regressed as it finished 19th in points and 22nd in total yards despite ranking 13th and 12th in those metrics in 2023. Houston also dealt with injuries to Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Joe Mixon, hampering the unit at various points throughout the year.

While his time with the Texans comes to an end, Slowik's previous success should make him a notable candidate for other franchises. It looks like Dallas will not be one of these team's, at least when it comes to the head coach search.

After a tough season, the Dallas Cowboys got more bad news this offseason.

Per ESPN's Todd Archer, star cornerback Trevon Diggs underwent tissue graft surgery on his left knee on Thursday. According to Archer, the recovery time could keep him sidelined into training camp "if not longer."

Diggs has dealt with a handful of injuries over the past few seasons after a mostly healthy start to his career. In 2023, he suffered a torn ACL in practice and missed all but two games. He managed to return to the field to start the 2024 season but the Cowboys announced in December that he would miss the rest of the year to have surgery on his knee. He had been dealing with the knee injury for most of the year.

Diggs, a two-time Pro Bowler, finished the season with 42 tackles, two interceptions and 11 passes defended. While Diggs is a few years removed from his outstanding 2021 season that saw him record 11 interceptions, he'll look to come back strong from surgery and help the Cowboys get back on track after a rough year.

Injuries depleted the Cowboys' defense all season. Along with Diggs, cornerback DaRon Bland, linebacker Eric Kendricks and pass-rushers Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence missed time.

On the offensive side, quarterback Dak Prescott played just eight games due to a hamstring injury.

All of the injuries led to a 7-10 season for the Cowboys, ending their run of three consecutive postseason appearances. Now Dallas is searching for its next head coach and trying to get its players rehabilitated this offseason.

Ex-USC and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll has spoken with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the team's open head coaching position amid growing buzz that the team is closing in on hiring offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for the job.

Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported the latest.

"The Star-Telegram has confirmed that Jones has contacted former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll regarding the opening," Harris wrote. "The conversation has been described as informal, although the interest is legitimate enough to be reported, according to a source."

Earlier Thursday, Clarence Hill Jr. of All City DLLS reported that the Cowboys and Schottenheimer were closing in on a deal.

Carroll, 73, was the Seahawks' head coach from 2010-2023 before Seattle parted ways with him. He was a two-time national champion at USC (2001-2009) and a one-time Super Bowl winner in Seattle.

Although the Cowboys and Carroll spoke, it appears both sides are going in a different direction. Dallas is clearly looking toward Schottenheimer as the next option, especially after interviewing him on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

The Cowboys were also giving ex-Dallas offensive coordinator (and current Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator) Kellen Moore much consideration, with Jon Machota of The Athletic calling him "the front-runner right now" earlier this week.

That was before the Schottenheimer interviews, and now it seems like the current Cowboys OC's job to lose.

Meanwhile, Carroll was named a frontrunner for the Las Vegas Raiders' job, per Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed of The Athletic. Las Vegas was hoping to land Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, per The Athletic, but Carroll seems to be the team's Plan B.

NFL insider Josina Anderson also reported Thursday that Carroll appears to be in the lead, although Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is getting a look as well.

Ultimately, Carroll and Jones may have talked about the Dallas job, but right now, it doesn't appear he'll be leading the Cowboys. If anything, Carroll appears most likely to head to Las Vegas as the Raiders look for a new leader as well.

Green Bay Packers assistant head coach and special team coordinator Rich Bisaccia has not been contacted by the Dallas Cowboys for an interview request regarding the team's current head coaching vacancy, according to NFL insider Ed Werder.

Bisaccia previously served as an interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders for 12 games during the 2021 season.

The Cowboys parted ways with former head coach Mike McCarthy on Jan. 13.

Dallas is coming off a 2024 campaign that was marred by injuries and filled with overall inconsistency, finishing with a 7-10 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2020 season.

The Cowboys struggled on both sides of the ball, owning the second-worst scoring defense in the NFL while ranking No. 21 in scoring offense.

As for Bisaccia, the Raiders finished with a record of 7-5 in his lone year taking on head coaching duties before he joined the Packers prior to the 2022 season.

The 64-year-old has been a coach in the NFL since 2002, starting with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before joining the Chargers for two years from 2011-12.

Bisaccia already has some familiarity with the Cowboys, as he was their special teams coordinator and assistant head coach from 2013 through the 2017 season. While he obviously wasn't solely responsible for Dallas' success over that time, it's still worth noting that the team owned a 46-34 record during his tenure.

The Cowboys have already interviewed several candidates for their vacancy including offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra).

Bisaccia may become a candidate for the opening as well, but he hasn't been requested for a meeting as of now.

The Dallas Cowboys are working toward an agreement with Brian Schottenheimer to make him their next head coach, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS Sports.

"Look for the Cowboys to cross the finish line on hiring Brian Schottenheimer no later than Friday, possibly today," Hill reported Thursday.

NFL insider Josina Anderson added that "some of the head coach prospects" for the Cowboys job "have been told and/or are not expecting second interviews" as of Thursday afternoon.

Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein reported Friday that the Cowboys' conversations are "hyper focused" on Schottenheimer and that the "team's tone increasingly is how to build around Schotty, not whether they want to."

Epstein reported Wednesday that discussions between Schottenheimer and the Cowboys were "heating up." Assuming he's hired within the next few days, the move wouldn't be coming totally out of the blue.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a fan who had Schottenheimer on their radar when evaluating the candidates to succeed Mike McCarthy as head coach.

Schottenheimer worked on the Cowboys' staff for the last two years as the offensive coordinator, but the 51-year-old has never been a head coach at any level. Whether he's even a good offensive coordinator is a matter for some debate. Only twice in 14 seasons have his offenses finished in the top 10 in yards.

After McCarthy's exit, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on her Scoop City podcast (via RJ Ochoa of Blogging the Boys) that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was expecting the veteran coach to return. To that end, ownership "did not have a plan in place" for if McCarthy chose not to sign another contract.

That appears to be borne out with how the coaching search is playing out.

Concerns over Jones' stewardship of the franchise are nothing new.

We're approaching three decades since Dallas' last appearance in a conference title game, which is the longest stretch of any NFC team. Given all of the Cowboys' built-in advantages, that kind of futility isn't possible without terrible ownership or front-office malpractice. In this case, it's both because Jones is both the owner and general manager.

Hiring Schottenheimer might be crossing some sort of Rubicon. Moving forward, it's hard to see how you could have any faith whatsoever that Jones will ever guide Dallas to the top of the NFL again.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is reportedly set for a second interview regarding the team's head coaching vacancy.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Schottenheimer and the Cowboys met for nearly four hours Tuesday as part of a first interview, and the second interview is planned for Wednesday.

The Cowboys' head coaching position officially opened up this month when Mike McCarthy's contract with the organization expired.

Schottenheimer, 51, joined the Cowboys as a coaching analyst in 2022, and he was elevated to offensive coordinator in 2023 following the departure of Kellen Moore.

Before that, Schottenheimer had a ton of experience as an NFL OC, serving in that role with the New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks.

While Schottenheimer has no head coaching experience, he is the son of the late Marty Schottenheimer, who was an NFL head coach for 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington and San Diego Chargers, posting a 200-126-1 record.

Coaching the offense under McCarthy, Schottenheimer's first season as the Cowboys' OC in 2023 was highly successful.

Dallas went 12-5 that season and ranked fifth in the NFL in total offense and first in scoring, plus quarterback Dak Prescott enjoyed a career year.

Prescott was a Second Team All-Pro and finished second in the NFL MVP voting by virtue of completing 69.5 percent of his passes for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The Cowboys took a big step back this season offensively and as a whole, and key injuries to a number of top players likely played a role.

Prescott missed the final nine games of the season, forcing Schottenheimer to turn to journeyman backup Cooper Rush.

Rush performed admirably, going 4-4 in eight starts and throwing for 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns and five picks. The Cowboys were only 21st in scoring, but they were a fairly respectable 17th in total offense considering the circumstances.

In addition to Schottenheimer, the Cowboys have interviewed Moore, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier for their vacancy.

Current University of Colorado head football coach and former Cowboys superstar cornerback Deion Sanders had a conversation with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones about the opening as well, but no formal interview has taken place.

If the Cowboys do not promote Schottenheimer to head coach, he could be an option for the Las Vegas Raiders' head coaching vacancy, as ESPN's Adam Schefter said Monday on the Pat McAfee Show (h/t On3.com's Thomas Goldkamp) that he views Schottenheimer as the favorite in Vegas.