Dallas Cowboys

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.

Per multiple sources: #Cowboys have not made a request to the #Packers regarding an interview with Rich Bisaccia, assistant head coach and special teams coach in Green Bay.

HC Matt LaFleur in recent conversation told me Bisaccia would be exceptional HC. He’s demanding but…

— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) January 23, 2025

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).

The Cowboys have interest in and are expected to interview Robert Saleh for vacant HC position, per @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/OcWavCSnDk

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) January 15, 2025

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."

The #Cowboys met with OC Brian Schottenheimer for more than 5 hours yesterday in what was their 2nd interview this week with him. When asked if this was imminent or whether news expected today, I was told “nothing as of yet” per a source informed. The wait continues.

— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) January 23, 2025

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.

.@ZachWolchuk went on an epic rant after learning that Brian Schottenheimer could potentially become the #Cowboys' next head coach

Listen to the entire discussion with @gavindawson, @BryanBroaddus and @EricChiofalo: https://t.co/uF9S1EwrUW pic.twitter.com/VKwaazLVEd

— 105.3 The FAN (@1053thefan) January 22, 2025

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.

The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly considering one of their current coaches for two positions.

Per NFL Network's Jane Slater, Dallas completed its interview with current offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer on Tuesday and is considering him for both the head coaching position and for offensive coordinator. According to Slater, the interview lasted "well over" three and a half hours.

Slater also noted that Schottenheimer intends to call plays no matter what position he ends up in.

Schottenheimer has been an NFL coach for nearly 30 years, joining the St. Louis Rams as an assistant in 1997 and working for a handful of different teams over the past few decades. He was an offensive coordinator for the New York Jets, Rams and Seattle Seahawks and joined the Cowboys in 2022 as a coaching analyst. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023.

Schottenheimer found success early in his tenure with the Cowboys, as Dallas finished fifth in the NFL in total offense and led the league in scoring in 2023. He helped quarterback Dak Prescott post the best numbers of his career with 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions to finish second in MVP voting.

The Cowboys' offense wasn't as impressive this season, though their struggles can partially be attributed to quarterback Dak Prescott playing just eight games due to a season-ending injury.

While Schottenheimer certainly isn't the biggest name in the Cowboys' coaching search, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that he has a "real" chance at landing the gig. A three-and-a-half-hour interview seems to indicate that Dallas is taking Schottenheimer very seriously as a candidate.

There have been plenty of names mentioned in Dallas' coaching search, from Robert Saleh, who interviewed with the team last week, to Colorado's Deion Sanders, to Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Schottenheimer has the benefit of being an in-house candidate, however, which could give him a leg up on other candidates.

While Shedeur Sanders is gearing up for the NFL draft this spring, his father's name has been at the forefront of NFL rumors in recent weeks.

After the Dallas Cowboys parted ways with head coach Mike McCarthy, Deion Sanders quickly emerged as a top candidate for the position. Amid speculation that Sanders could leave Colorado for the NFL, Shedeur gave his thoughts on the matter.

"It's not really up to me. I don't really have a say in anything at all," Shedeur said (9:50 mark). "I'm coming into the league, I don't have too much of a say so. I'm just thankful for whatever situation comes."

While Shedeur won't try to influence his decision, it seems Sanders could be heading to Dallas if he gets the offer. According to NFL insider Ed Werder, Sanders "would almost certainly accept" the position if it were offered to him. Werder also reported that many around Sanders are "encouraging him to pursue it."

Whether Sanders is an NFL coach will not impact whether Shedeur plays at the next level as the Colorado star quarterback is widely projected to be one of the first players off the board. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department projects Shedeur to go to the Tennessee Titans with the first overall pick.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is reportedly a legitimate candidate to be promoted to head coach following Mike McCarthy's departure.

The coach interviewed with the team on Tuesday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Rapoport provided a further breakdown of Schottenheimer's candidacy on The Insiders:

From The Insiders on @NFLNetwork: Explaining the interview of #Cowboys OC Brian Schottenheimer for HC and why the Dallas brass is sitting down with him... pic.twitter.com/0DWF0Xqo00

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 22, 2025

"To me, at the very least, this feels real," Rapoport said.

The Cowboys later confirmed Schottenheimer completed an in-person interview for the job.

We have completed an in-person interview with Brian Schottenheimer for our Head Coach position.#DallasCowboys | 📰: https://t.co/pJcphT30Fl pic.twitter.com/nFiFISmuOp

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 22, 2025

Speaking Tuesday on her Scoop City podcast (beginning at the 33-second mark) Dianna Russini of The Athletic first mentioned Schottenheimer as a candidate for the Cowboys' head coaching job, along with Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, both of whom already interviewed with the team.

While Schottenheimer does indeed appear to be an option for the Cowboys, ESPN's Adam Schefter said Monday on the Pat McAfee Show (h/t On3.com's Thomas Goldkamp) that Schottenheimer is the favorite for the Las Vegas Raiders' head coaching vacancy.

Schottenheimer, who is the son of late former Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington and San Diego Chargers head coach Marty Schottenheimer, has never served as a head coach at any level. However, the 51-year old has been in coaching since 1997, spending most of that time at the NFL level and much of it as an offensive coordinator.

Schottenheimer was the OC of the New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks before getting promoted from coaching analyst to Cowboys OC in 2023.

In his first season as the Cowboys' offensive coordinator, Dallas ranked fifth in the NFL in total offense and led the league in scoring. Quarterback Dak Prescott also had the best season of his career, throwing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions en route to finishing second in NFL MVP voting and being named a second-team All-Pro.

The Cowboys suffered an embarrassing playoff exit, though, falling to the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers in the NFC Wild Card Round.

On the heels of three consecutive playoff appearances, the Cowboys took a step back this season, going 7-10 and missing the postseason. Prescott's health played a big role in the team's struggles, as he missed the final nine games of the season with a hamstring injury.

Schottenheimer did get solid play out of backup Cooper Rush, who posted a 4-4 record as the starter and completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns and five picks.

Russini suggested that the most sensible option for Dallas may be Moore, who was the team's offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. Moore has played a big role in helping the Eagles reach the NFC Championship Game this season, and his run-heavy play-calling allowed running back Saquon Barkley to become the ninth player in NFL history with at least 2,000 rushing yards in a season.

Should Cowboys owner Jerry Jones choose Moore or another candidate to succeed McCarthy, it sounds as though Vegas may be the destination for Schottenheimer.

The Raiders have finished below .500 and missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons, and they fired head coach Antonio Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco following a 4-13 showing this season.

Vegas' glaring weakness is the quarterback position, where veteran Gardner Minshew and second-year man Aidan O'Connell struggled to deliver consistently strong performances.

Schottenheimer would have his work cut out for him with the Raiders, but given legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady's status as the franchise's minority owner, it may still be a desirable job for the longtime OC.

As the Dallas Cowboys continue their search for a new head coach to replace Mike McCarthy, a favorite has reportedly emerged for the job.

According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, "the front-runner right now" for the Cowboys' head coaching position is Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

Moore was a backup quarterback for the Cowboys from 2015 to 2017 and immediately transitioned to the team's quarterbacks coach after ending his playing career. He was then promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019 and McCarthy chose to retain him when he was hired as head coach in 2020. Moore served in the role until 2022 before mutually parting ways with the franchise and becoming Los Angeles Chargers OC for the 2023 campaign. He joined the Eagles for the 2024 season after new Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh implemented his own coaching staff.

Machota noted that Moore was the first person to interview for the Cowboys' head coach opening, and team owner Jerry Jones "thinks highly" of him.

Under Moore's direction, the Eagles ranked seventh in the NFL in total offense with 367.2 yards per game and second with 179.3 rushing yards per game during the regular season. Philadelphia is one win away from making the Super Bowl for the second time in three years, as it will meet the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday.

With Moore focused on trying to help the Eagles achieve a Super Bowl berth, the Cowboys would have to wait a while before they could tab him for their head coaching position. According to Machota, "The longer the search goes, the more likely it would seem that Moore is the pick."

The Dallas Cowboys interviewed Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier for their head coaching vacancy after parting ways with Mike McCarthy, according to the DallasCowboys.com's Tommy Yarrish.

Frazier served as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2011 to 2013, initially taking over as interim head coach for Brad Childress in 2010. He remained with the team for the next three seasons, finishing with a 21-33-1 overall record.

Frazier recorded the biggest single-season turnaround in Vikings history after his 2011 finished 3-13 and he turned around the next year with a 10-6 record. Frazier finished fourth in NFL Coach of the Year Award voting that season, per Yarrish.

The 65-year-old coach has spent the majority of his career as a defensive coordinator, spending time with Cincinnati, Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Buffalo.

Frazier spent five years in the NFL from 1981 to 1985 as a cornerback. Undrafted out of Alcorn State, he was signed by the Chicago Bears and recorded 20 interceptions in his career, including two returned for touchdowns, with 343 total yards.

In addition to Frazier, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore have also interviewed for the vacancy.

Despite speculation about the Cowboys potentially hiring Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the team is not expected to interview Sanders for the position.

No interview is scheduled, as Rapoport stated it would "be surprised, probably very surprised, if something did in fact get scheduled."

This comes after Dallas owner Jerry Jones reached out to Sanders for an unofficial conversation about the head coaching job that Sanders called "intriguing."

"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing," Sanders told ESPN's Adam Schefter at the time. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up and process it, and think about it, it's intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community."

The Cowboys finished the season with a 7-10 record, placing third in the NFC East under former head coach Mike McCarthy.

ESPN's Adam Schefter believes former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is a "legitimate candidate" to coach either the Chicago Bears or New Orleans Saints in 2025.

"I think he's in play in New Orleans, I think he's been in play in Chicago. I think he's a legitimate candidate in both places," Schefter said Monday on the Pat McAfee Show.

"I think Mike McCarthy is in play in Chicago and New Orleans..

He's a legitimate candidate in both places"@AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/XF8akpR1Oy

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 20, 2025

Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football reported the Saints are looking to set up an interview with McCarthy this week:

The Saints are setting up an in-person interview with Mike McCarthy, per source. Logistics are still being set. Weather and all that has to be worked around, but goal is this week.

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) January 20, 2025

McCarthy coached the Cowboys for five seasons before he and the organization announced they would be parting ways last week. The Cowboys got off to a 3-4 start in 2024 before losing Dak Prescott to injury and eventually missing the postseason.

Schefter's comments follow reports that McCarthy is facing competition for the jobs in both Chicago and New Orleans.

The Bears announced last Wednesday the team had completed an interview with McCarthy. According to ESPN's Courtney Cronin, he was flown in to the interview on a private plane in "a departure from previous team protocol."

However, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz added recently that the Bears' head coaching decision is "a two-horse race" between McCarthy and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported last Tuesday the Saints are expected to interview McCarthy "early next week," although there was not yet a "firm date established."

NFL insider Josina Anderson wrote the same day that the Saints didn't "have urgent interest" in McCarthy, and described the upcoming talk as a "due diligence interview."

The Saints are meanwhile bringing in Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn for a second interview on Wednesday, according to Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.

The Lions coordinators are reportedly also speaking with other teams after their team's upset elimination from the Divisional round last weekend. Whichever decision Johnson and Glenn make going forward could impact McCarthy's options for his next job.

The Dallas Cowboys are currently one of six NFL teams looking for a new head coach, and that comes down—at least partially—to the mismanagement of the Mike McCarthy situation after letting him coach the 2024 season as a pending free agent.

Albert Breer of SI.com offered more on McCarthy's side of the coin, between not receiving an extension offer before the season to the contract talks after it:

For his part, McCarthy didn't complain about any of it. In talking with him over the summer, and again in the fall, he kept saying that this wasn't much different than having a pending free agent in a prominent role on your team—it just so happened that, in this case, the contract-year person in question was the head coach. But, as I've heard it for a few months, the way it was handled didn't sit well with McCarthy, or the members of his staff looking ahead at their own uncertain futures. Then, in the days leading up to the Jan. 14 expiration of McCarthy's contract, my understanding is that while there was discussion, there was no real negotiation.

Whether the Cowboys should have brought McCarthy back isn't necessarily the main issue at play. During his time in Dallas, he led the team to a 49-35 record and three playoff berths in five seasons but won just one playoff game and showed little indication that he could get the Cowboys over the hump. There was a basis for moving on.

But the lack of decisiveness after the season cost the Cowboys eight days to interview other coaching candidates around the league, namely the assistants on the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs, and also prevented McCarthy from interviewing elsewhere. It was a situation that was undeniably mishandled by team owner Jerry Jones.

A change of scenery probably was in the best interest for both parties. But some breakups are handled better than others.