Cowboys closer to Brian Schottenheimer as next coach

The Cowboys are pushing for the most disappointing coaching hire of the offseason.

Dallas is close to hiring offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as the team’s new head coach, according to longtime Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS.

The move is expected to be completed by Friday at the latest, according to the report.

Hiring Schottenheimer will certainly be a very controversial decision for America’s Team after the confusing handling of Mike McCarthy’s departure and the team’s rather small candidate pool.

Schottenheimer, the 51-year-old son of former NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer, has no head coaching experience and is moving into perhaps the highest-profile job in the league.

He was offensive coordinator for the Jets from 2006 to 2011, the Rams from 2012 to 2014, the Seahawks from 2018 to 2020 and has held that role with the Cowboys for two years.

The irony is that McCarthy called the Cowboys’ plays the past two seasons, meaning Dallas’ offensive successes and/or failures had more to do with him than Schottenheimer.

Dallas could have simply retained McCarthy, but the sides failed to agree on a new contract and recently parted ways…just to have the Cowboys turn to his coordinator.

For all of McCarthy’s problems, going from a Super Bowl-winning coach who has presided over three recent 12-win seasons to an unproven first-time coach opens the door to scrutiny from owner Jerry Jones.

It would be one thing if the Cowboys were preparing to hire a big name from the coaching cycle like former Lions coordinator and new Bears coach Ben Johnson, but Schottenheimer isn’t seen at that level.

The Cowboys have already had success with an uninspiring coach in Jason Garrett — who may be the role model Jones is trying to follow after his ascension from coordinator to coach — but they enter a pivotal offseason with an aging roster high profile coming out of a 7-10 Campaign.

Schottenheimer knows quarterback Dak Prescott and star receiver CeeDee Lamb, but the Cowboys need help at all levels to compete in a tough NFC East.

The Commanders have apparently found their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Eagles are perennial contenders and the Giants…oh, who are we kidding.

Hiring a coordinator whose offenses haven’t exactly set the league on fire to try to keep up with this year’s two NFC finalists is a bold move.

Schottenheimer will be cheap, however, and may not require as much control over team building as other, more experienced candidates might have liked.

Jones plays an important role in building the team and questions have arisen over the years about whether he would hire a coach who would question his opinions or even his celebrity status.

Dallas also interviewed Seattle assistant Leslie Frazier, former Jets coach Robert Saleh and Kellen Moore, its former offensive coordinator who now serves in the same role in Philadelphia, according to Pro Football Talk.