Latest Cowboys head coach direction labeled a 'terrible idea'

Over a week has passed since the Dallas Cowboys announced their split with former head coach Mike McCarthy. 

Since then, multiple teams have hired new head coaches, with the Chicago Bears landing on Ben Johnson and the New York Jets picking Aaron Glenn.

So, who’s left? Many are asking the same question as the Cowboys continue hunting for their next head coach.

Five names have surfaced in the Cowboys’ coaching search: University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier and Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.

Meanwhile, only Schottenheimer has been brought back for a second interview. Moore is currently focused on helping the Eagles return to the Super Bowl, so it’s understandable that he’d be slow-playing his future options. 

Yet, if it’s Schottenheimer that the Cowboys are targeting as their next head coach, FanSided’s Mark Powell believes considering Dallas’ current offensive coordinator is a “terrible idea.”

"Cowboys are courting Brian Schottenheimer, which is a terrible idea," Powell wrote. "Perhaps the biggest concern for the Cowboys is that (Jerry) Jones is considering primarily candidates who he is familiar with, rather than casting a stone outside of his circle. Moore and Schottenheimer know how to deal with Jerry and the magnifying glass that comes with the Cowboys job. While it's something Jones and the Cowboys brass should consider when hiring a new head coach, it is not the only qualification or the most important.

"In the end, the question for Jones is simple: Does he want a serious head coach who can lead the Cowboys to postseason success, or would he prefer a yes man who will do his bidding? The answer, unfortunately for Dallas fans, appears to be the latter."

While Schottenheimer has been an offensive coordinator for four different NFL teams, he has never been a head coach. 

The same can be said for Moore, who’s now been an offensive coordinator for three different teams yet has no head coaching experience. 

For what it’s worth, Moore’s Eagles offense ranked seventh in scoring this past season, whereas Schottenheimer’s Cowboys ranked 21st. However, Dallas did have the NFL’s highest-scoring offense under Schottenheimer in 2023, so it’s not like he hasn’t had a hand in some extremely successful seasons, too.

However, of the two, Schottenheimer did not call plays during the Cowboys' scoring outburst, whereas Moore does call plays for the Eagles. However, Schottenheimer has called plays for other teams in the past, just not for the Cowboys. 

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