Brian Schottenheimer officially named newest Cowboys’ head coach

FRISCO, Texas — Brian Schottenheimer is all set to officially become the 10th head coach in the history of the Dallas Cowboys, the two sides agreeing to terms on Friday evening after two extensive interviews earlier in the week.

The team will hold a press conference Monday, Jan. 27 at 11 a.m. CT to formally announce the decision.

Schottenheimer is son of the late, legendary Marty Schottenheimer, a former mentor of McCarthy’s and many other current and former coaches around the NFL.

Having joined the Cowboys in 2022 as a coaching analyst, the Schottenheimer heir was promoted to the role of offensive coordinator in 2023, following the departure of Kellen Moore from that role, and that’s where he’s spent the last seasons in Dallas.

Interestingly enough, he and Moore were both vying for the right to be named successor to McCarthy — Moore having recently completed a virtual interview for the position prior to helping to lead the Philadelphia Eagles to the NFC Championship Game.

It was Schottenheimer who boasted the much lengthier resume of overall coaching experience between the two though, despite having not called plays in Dallas during the McCarthy era.

His coaching career began immediately after becoming a national champion for the Florida Gators, taking on a role as an assistant for the (then) St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs in the late 1990s before a collegiate stretch that included a role as wide receivers coach for USC.

He’d then circle back to the NFL as quarterbacks coach for the Washington [Commanders] in 2001. All told, Schottenheimer has been in the coaching ranks in some capacity — be it positionally and/or as an offensive coordinator — for roughly 28 years.

This will be his first stint as a head coach, one of several candidates for the position, and he’ll need to hit the ground running as the Cowboys have now seen four assistant coaches, headlined by Al Harris, depart for other teams during their search for McCarthy’s successor.