The race to find a replacement for the Dallas Cowboys head coach position continues without a clear front-runner. After interviewing four different candidates, not one of them truly stands out. All of the guys with interviews so far have something in common: they’re the same kind of coach.
The Two Different Types of Coaching Options for the Dallas Cowboys Head Coach
Option One: A Play Caller
Two years ago, Mike McCarthy took the role of play caller under his belt for the offense. In his first year, he saw clear success. The Cowboys rose to being the best offense in the league, averaging 29.9 points per game and maintaining a 12-5 season. However, this past season left little to be desired. There were multiple issues that arose. Some of it was because of numerous injuries to the entire offensive side of the ball. Other problems include the lack of creativity. Other teams knew exactly what to expect, and they pounced on it.
For a Dallas Cowboys head coach, there now could be pressure to find a guy who can call plays. With McCarthy gone, a whole new system will need to be rolled out to the team. The current interviewees have had success with being coordinators. Kellen Moore clearly showed some flare with the Eagles this year, but that could be relegated to Saquon Barkley’s MVP-caliber season. Brian Schottenheimer, current offensive coordinator for the Cowboys, hasn’t gotten to show his scheme yet. Even Robert Saleh had huge success, albeit, on the defensive side of the ball.
Other teams already chose to go the play caller route. Ben Johnson was pulled into the Chicago Bears organization as soon as he went to market. Aaron Glen is much of the same with the Jets. A strong play caller is an important piece to the puzzle. But realistically, the head coach’s job isn’t to call the plays. That responsibility can be delegated to coordinators. No, the head coach has a much larger responsibility – to build a culture for the team.
Option Two: A Culture Center
The other biggest problem with the Cowboys has been the lack of identity. It’s something the Cowboys struggled with at the start of the 2024 season. But it trickled through the rest of the season too. Players weren’t completely running their routes. Others had a lack of effort in tackling. The number of penalties rapidly began to get out of hand on all levels of the ball. All of that is a result of the head coach. McCarthy allowed a lot of that to slide. What’s needed for the Cowboys organization is a guy who won’t allow that to slide.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys haven’t selected to interview any of those characters. When names like “Moore”, “Saleh”, and “Frazier” pop up, the first thought isn’t culture. It isn’t that they’ve had players follow them into battle before. If anything, it could’ve been the talent of the players in the scheme that created the success, and not the coach himself.
A Dallas Cowboys Head Coach for 2025 and Beyond
More than anything, the Cowboys need a Jimmy Johnson kind of coach. Not saying they should add Johnson back to the roster, but that the personality he embodies is what the Cowboys need right now. A coach who will unite teams through the worst of seasons and help them come out champions right after. Not every coach has the capacity to do that, but if the Cowboys want to be successful into 2025 and beyond, that’s the guy they need.
Someone with a proven track record of stirring up excitement. Especially since every Cowboys coach is without a contract. As real talent like John “Bones” Fassel walk out of the building, the Cowboys will need a strong-willed coach who can stitch together a wrecked team. In fact, that could be why there’s no clear frontrunner. Because no guy like that has entered the chat.
Main Image: Tim Heitman – USA Today Sports
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