12:02pm: This might not be a true second interview, according to the Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins, who describes today’s summit as a continuation of the first meeting. The sides’ lengthy meeting continuing is still notable, but Schottenheimer may not have advanced as far in this process compared to where he would stand after a true second meeting.
11:35am: Mike McCarthy‘s most recent OC, Brian Schottenheimer will have plenty of time to state his case as a dark-horse replacement candidate. A day after the Cowboys met with Schottenheimer, they will huddle up once again.
The team is bringing in Schottenheimer for a second straight day, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Jane Slater and Tom Pelissero. The parties met for nearly four hours Tuesday, making it rather interesting they are meeting again so soon. But the second-generation NFL coach appears a true candidate to succeed his former boss.
Schottenheimer may be in a matchup with the coach he replaced as Dallas’ play-caller. Kellen Moore met with his former team virtually and emerged as an early favorite for the job. Moore has been a far more prominent part of HC carousels in the past, and the Eagles’ OC is back on that radar this year. Schottenheimer, for the most part, has settled as a coordinator.
Whereas Moore called plays in Dallas for four seasons, Schottenheimer primarily operated as a non-play-calling coordinator in McCarthy’s final two seasons on the job. Schottenheimer, 51, has been an NFL coordinator as far back as 2006. Marty Schottenheimer‘s son, Brian began as Jets OC and stayed on through the 2011 season. He later served as OC for the Rams under Jeff Fisher (2012-14) and as the Seahawks’ play-caller under Pete Carroll (2018-20). The Cowboys promoted Schottenheimer after he spent the 2022 season as an analyst for the team. Dallas dropped to 21st in scoring offense this season, but Dak Prescott‘s second-team All-Pro slate in 2023 — when the team led the NFL in scoring — certainly boosts Schottenheimer’s stock.
Brian Schottenheimer even advancing this far in the process is a surprise. Then again, the Cowboys have zagged in terms of coach dealings for many years now. Jerry Jones resisted calls for Jason Garrett‘s firing for a lengthy period and then hired McCarthy after only interviewing one other candidate (Marvin Lewis) in 2020. Considering the scrutiny heaped upon the Cowboys as their conference championship game drought nears 30 years, Jones doing a serious inquiry on Schottenheimer may generate more concern among the fanbase.
The Cowboys cannot meet with Moore a second time until the Super Bowl bye week, regardless of the Eagles’ fate in the NFC title game, and Kliff Kingsbury has said he will not do interviews until after the Commanders’ season wraps. Deion Sanders momentum has cooled since his Jones conversation, and fellow atypical candidate Jason Witten has never coached above the high school level. Thus, Schottenheimer has moved into an interesting position.
Via PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, here is how the Cowboys’ search looks so far:
- Bill Belichick, head coach (North Carolina): Mutual interest would have existed
- Leslie Frazier, assistant head coach (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/20
- Aaron Glenn, defensive coordinator (Lions): Mentioned as candidate
- Kliff Kingsbury, offensive coordinator (Commanders): Mentioned as candidate; won’t interview until after season
- Anthony Lynn, run game coordinator/running backs coach (Commanders: Mutual interest expressed
- Kellen Moore, offensive coordinator (Eagles): Interviewed 1/17; frontrunner?
- Robert Saleh, former head coach (Jets): Interviewed 1/18
- Deion Sanders, head coach (Colorado): Discussions commenced; no deal expected
- Brian Schottenheimer, offensive coordinator (Cowboys): Interviewed 1/21-1/22
- Jason Witten, head coach (Liberty Christian School): Strong contender?