Schottenheimer takes lead in Cowboys’ search for a head coach, Pete Carroll bows out; more

FRISCO, Texas — The whirlwind week concludes without a decision from the Dallas Cowboys on who the 10th head coach in franchise history will be, or at least it hasn’t been made at the time of this article going to print. That means the waiting game continues in North Texas, but that doesn’t mean things have been exactly quiet at the team’s headquarters.

In fact, it’s been quite the opposite.

The departure of Mike McCarthy on Jan. 14 was met with the casting of a net that included an informal discussion with Deion Sanders and formal interviews with Leslie Frazier, Robert Saleh and former Cowboys’ offensive coordinator Kellen Moore — who is currently preparing to help lead the Philadelphia Eagles against the Washington Commanders in the NFC Championship Game.

A dark horse then emerged from the forest, namely the most recent offensive coordinator in Dallas, Brian Schottenheimer, who interviewed for the position in-person on Tuesday

And then again on Wednesday.

To this point, Schottenheimer is the only candidate, known or unknown, to land two formal interviews with a chance at becoming the successor to McCarthy, having spent the last two seasons as one of McCarthy’s (and Dak Prescott’s) key advisors heading into games on a weekly basis.

But while that was going on, legendary head coach Pete Carroll emerged as a darker horse with exceedingly great odds of pushing Schottenheimer — Carroll’s former offensive coordinator in Seattle for the Seahawks — out of the would-be throne following conversations with owner and general manager Jerry Jones this week.

In the end, it was the Las Vegas Raiders wooing Carroll away from the Cowboys with a multi-year deal to return to the sideline for their organization, and no one else’s.

And as this is all being figured out, special teams coordinator John “Bones” Fassel has chosen to depart for the Tennessee Titans, and wide receivers’ coach Robert Prince is reportedly taking his first interview, as the Miami Dolphins seek to speak with him about their vacancy in that role.

In all, accounting for the multiple interviews by Schottenheimer, it appears the deletion of Carroll from the process and Moore’s season still ongoing (the same to be said of another potential candidate in Joe Brady), signs are pointing toward the son of all-time great coach Marty Schottenheimer as having retaken the lead.

We will find out soon if he will cross the finish line.