Chris Jones-Imagn Images How confident are you in the Cowboys’ offensive line depth? From the hiring of Klayton Adams and Conor Riley, to the selection of Tyler Booker in the first-round, to other offseason free agent signings, the Dallas Cowboys are clearly putting a priority on upgrading their offensive line from top to bottom under new head coach Brian Schottenheimer. It’s a good sign they’ve learned from past mistakes. With training camp and preseason on the horizon, the Cowboys now have the tough task of determining the overall depth chart on the offensive line, from starters to backups. Dallas typically carries around 10 offensive lineman on their 53-and roster, five obvious starters and five backups. Sorting things out could be an interesting dilemma. As for the starters go it could look much the same as it did a season ago, minus Zack Martin of course. With Martin’s retirement, the Cowboys are ushering in a new era at right guard. As Dallas’ first-round pick, this will more than likely be Tyler Booker’s job to lose. He may not go unchallenged though. There team have given Cooper Beebe some reps at guard this offseason, but after finishing his rookie season strong at center last year that may not be in his or the team’s best interest. Brock Hoffman could be in play at RG as well as a starter. He played admirably in Zack Martin’s place last season and could be asked to do the same in 2025. As far as the rest of the offensive line is concerned, the other four starting jobs seem to be all but set. Tyler Guyton and Terence Steele will both start at tackle with Tyler Smith at left guard. And odds are Cooper Beebe will remain as Dallas’ starting center. With the starters all but set, the tough part about filling out the OL depth chart in 2025 will come from who they decide to keep as backups. They brought in several free agents who will compete with some young, promising first- and second-year players to earn one of the few remaining roster spots. Cowboys’ 2025 OL depth chart prediction LT Tyler Guyton LG Tyler Smith C Cooper Beebe RG Tyler Booker (R) RT Terence Steele OT Asim Richards C/G Brock Hoffman G Robert Jones G Saahdiq Charles OT Anaji Cornelius (R) While this is how we predict the OL depth chart right now for the Cowboys, it’s far from set in stone. Second-year player Nathan Thomas could push either Robert Jones or Saahdiq Charles for a roster spot as could T.J. Bass. This could create for an interesting position battle once training camp/preseason finally gets underway in a little over a month from now. All in all, while the Cowboys have made their job much more difficult, the depth they have right now along the offensive line is encouraging. With the mix of veterans and youth they have created quite the competition. It should be really entertaining to see it unfold before the 2025 NFL season gets underway. Who do you think will form the backup OL on the roster?
Cowboys receivers George Pickens, KaVontae Turpin praise shifts, motions in new offense
Chris Jones-Imagn Images It is going to be fun to see what Brian Schottenheimer’s offense fully looks like. The NFL offseason is full of sporadic reminders and little things that signal the upcoming season’s arrival, and the Dallas Cowboys have arrived at an important one this week. Minicamp is underway at The Star, and while the practices won’t differ too drastically from the team’s OTAs the week before, it is yet another first time obligation for HC Brian Schottenheimer to manage. Following this Cowboys offseason through the lens of a first-year and first-time head coach has added renewed interest in some of these otherwise mundane offseason events, as each one is a new opportunity to learn more about the coach tasked with picking up the pieces of a very difficult season for his predecessor. The most important area to look for this improvement under Schottenheimer will be offensively, where Schotty will pick up where Mike McCarthy left off as play-caller. Schottenheimer served as offensive coordinator during both the highs and lows of McCarthy’s offense, but will go into his first season with the challenge of calling plays. Schottenheimer is hardly the only figure that will have a say in the all-important return season for Dak Prescott. The Cowboys front office has been notably much more active in player acquisition this offseason. When it comes to supporting Prescott through better offensive line play, the team spent the 12th overall pick on Alabama guard Tyler Booker. The time to evaluate line of scrimmage players fairly will have to wait until training camp and padded practices though. Much more interesting at the current moment of minicamp is the newest wide receiver the Cowboys traded for, former Pittsburgh Steeler George Pickens. The Pickens and CeeDee Lamb duo gives the Cowboys a pair of dynamic receivers. There are things to look for when it comes to how Schottenheimer will move the Cowboys offense forward, one of which is another thing Cowboys fans have been wanting for a long time. A more diverse scheme that puts players in advantageous matchups is one thing, but using pre-snap motion and shifts is another thing the Cowboys can do to start closing the gap between them and some of the best offenses in the NFL. Not only has Pickens had good things to say about the shifts and motions in the new offense so far, but so too has a skill player with untapped potential on offense, return man KaVontae Turpin. Pickens had this to say about the speed, motions, and versatility between him and Lamb through the offensive install periods so far, via the team website. “A different scheme could allow me to do more,” he said. “It’s a good thing. … College is probably the most recent time I’ve played with a lot of guys with speed — a lot of guys this fast. … Team speed applies to the scheme, too. So if you got a lot of fast guys, you’re definitely gonna have a different scheme.” “A lot of motions,” Pickens said of the playbook. “A lot of things that you get an indicator on what the defense is doing before you say hike. Some coaches don’t do that.” “Getting an indicator of what the defense is doing” is certainly a breath of fresh air from the years of the Cowboys offense flipping this on its head and giving the defense an advantage instead. Lining up in the same spots, running the same route concepts out of these looks, and not creating more space for pass catchers to get the ball in the open field have all plagued the Cowboys offense at times in the Prescott era, and are things Schottenheimer can look to improve while trying to get the most out of Lamb and Pickens. Just as the passing offense couldn’t all be on Lamb a year ago though, it can’t all be just Lamb and Pickens if the Cowboys are going to emphasize things like getting the ball out of Prescott’s hands quickly, taking advantage of his ball handling and mobility again, and creating yards after the catch for skill players. KaVontae Turpin is a player with more potential in this style of offense, capable of lining up as a slot receiver, outside target, or out of the backfield. He too had glowing things to say about the vision for Dallas’ offense in 2025 under Schottenheimer, again via the team website: “He wants to do shifts and motions, to get the ball in playmakers’ hands in space, and to get one-one-ones,” Turpin said at the start of mandatory minicamp. “I feel like that’s good for me. One-on-one with a linebacker or a safety, I’m gonna take advantage of them.” This part of the offseason may be all about making everything sound positive and building the hype from now until training camp that the season will be enjoyable. Of all the teams that need not just a successful, but an enjoyable season this year, the Cowboys should be among the most desperate after the amount of dysfunction and injuries they battled through to finish 7-10 last year. With that said, the Schottenheimer hire has quickly gone from one that caused a nuclear reaction in the fan base that the team was as lost at sea as ever before, to one that has led to many positive – albeit small – reasons for optimism so far. The Cowboys front office immediately got to work bringing in new players that seem to fit precisely what Schottenheimer and his new staff want to do, one of the biggest being Pickens. The players around The Star are echoing Schotty’s emphasis on having one of the best cultures in sports, and football feels fun again for a host of new and old players looking to inject new life into a team that’s been due for it. The trio of Lamb, Pickens, and Turpin all having positive things to say about the offense from the perspective of wide receivers,
Looking back on Dallas Cowboys offseason moves over the last 3 years
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Here is a look at every offseason move the Cowboys have made over the last 3 years. The Dallas Cowboys have a unique way of going about constructing their roster over a given offseason. That much is certain. Whether or not you, I or anyone else agrees with the approach that the Cowboys have is obviously of little consequence to the front office. They are confident in their approach, and while they do not have a Super Bowl to show for their recent form, there are a handful of playoff appearances which would suggest they are on the right track. Anyone who has been paying attention knows and understands that 2024 was a particularly dry year for the Cowboys in this sense. The team did extraordinarily little in free agency and really only improved the roster by way of the NFL draft. For the purposes of establishing a larger data set we decided to look at the last three years of the team’s activity (we are not counting 2025 as we don’t know yet how those moves will fare). This is a number that felt large enough to yield enough data, but not so large so as to provide some from too far in the past. We have left off undrafted free agency, although it is worth noting that it has yielded players like Juanyeh Thomas. Also it should be mentioned that players like KaVontae Turpin and Brandon Aubrey were technically UDFAs, but given that they were signed once the team was at training camp we classified them as free agency additions for the purposes of this discussion. Also to be perfectly clear we are only talking about additions so if the Cowboys re-signed someone in a given year that has also been left off. Hopefully that makes enough sense. There are several trades that the team has made over the last three years, perhaps more than they get credit for. People remember Trey Lance and Jonathan Mingo or Stephon Gilmore and Brandin Cooks as opposite ends of the spectrum of success, but players like Johnathan Hankins were also found through this method. The best free agency window that Dallas has had is probably 2023 due to the trades for Gilmore and Cooks. Those were obviously not actual free agency acquisitions, but they went a long way towards helping a roster that earned the second seed in the NFC before everything fell apart in embarrassing fashion. Obviously there are some, um, questionable names on this list as well. You may have forgotten that we wondered whether or not Ronald Jones could carry the load at running back or how James Washington was going to fare in the offense. It is strange to remember these things that happened not too long in the past. All told the meat of what Dallas has done over the last three years, and plenty of time before that, has taken place during the NFL Draft. This is where the team has shown the highest level of comfortability in terms of roster acquisition, but as we have discussed many times this has proven to not be enough which could be why the team was a bit more aggressive on the free agency front this offseason. Looking at everything in one list like this… do you feel any different? Is it better than you remember? Worse? The same? Let us know.
Cowboys news: Dallas getting high marks for their offseason work
Chris Jones-Imagn Images The latest news surrounding the Dallas Cowboys. Cowboys ‘near-perfect’ offseason ranks among top in the NFL – Josh Sanchez, Sports Illustrated Hopefully the “near-perfect” offseason translates into the regular season. The Dallas Cowboys have had an impressive NFL offseason, which has led to increased excitement in the building. Unlike in years past, the Dallas front office was active in free agency and executed several trades to improve the roster. Of course, the biggest move was trading for George Pickens following the NFL Draft, where the team selected star offensive lineman Tyler Booker in the first round, addressing one of the team’s most obvious needs. Because of the way Brian Schottenheimer constructed his coaching staff and how the team improved its roster, Dallas has been one of the biggest winners of the offseason. In fact, Gilberto Manzano of SI.com described the team’s offseason as “near-perfect.” Not only did the Cowboys get credit for Pickens and Booker, but their other rookies could make an immediate impact. There is one lingering issue, however, that the team needs to address for it to be labeled as “perfect.” “However, this near-perfect Cowboys offseason goes beyond the trade for Pickens. Dallas again prioritized the offensive line with the first-round selection of guard Tyler Booker, the replacement for the recently retired Zack Martin,” he wrote. “And the defense could be better with the arrivals of rookies Donovan Ezeiruaku and Shavon Revel Jr. “Still, this won’t be a perfect offseason until the team locks down Micah Parsons with a contract extension.” Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs reveals lofty comeback goal – Calvin Watkins, DMN. That’s an ambitious goal. “I want to be back for the first game,” Diggs said after Wednesday’s mandatory minicamp practice. Diggs said he was early — not late, not on time, but early —in his return to the field. This time it’s different. The surgery is considered more serious than the ACL surgery. Diggs said his rehab work is easier this time. He said he doesn’t have soreness or swelling in the knee and feels he can play now. Docuseries on Cowboys’ Jerry Jones gets August premiere date from Netflix – Todd Brock, USA Today Last year is was the Cowboys’ cheerleaders, this year it’s the owner. America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys, a new docuseries focusing on Jerry Jones and his ownership of the most valuable sports franchise on the planet will premiere on Netflix on Tuesday, Aug. 19, the streaming platform announced Wednesday. Based on the first promotional image and tagline of “The Cowboys you know, the truth you don’t,” expect a heavy dose of flashbacks to the early days of Jones’s ownership and the building of the dynasty teams in the early- to mid-’90s. While many of the stories from head coach Jimmy Johnson’s tenure have become infamous Cowboys lore, the series will no doubt uncover more than a few revelations that only add to the legend. KaVontae Turpin on why ‘everybody is buying into’ new Cowboys’ culture, offensive role in 2025 – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com The new culture has easily permeated in Dallas. The former USFL MVP enters his fourth season with the Cowboys in 2025, and there have been sweeping changes to the offensive coaching staff this time around, including the blockbuster trade to acquire wide receiver George Pickens, generating questions regarding how head coach Brian Schottenheimer will deploy Turpin on offense. “He wants to do shifts and motions, to get the ball in playmakers’ hands in space, and to get one-one-ones,” Turpin said at the start of mandatory minicamp. “I feel like that’s good for me. One-on-one with a linebacker or a safety, I’m gonna take advantage of them.” While Turpin has taken the NFL by storm as a returner, his reps on offense haven’t been plentiful, but he isn’t harping on that, and believes it’ll all balance out as it needs to. “I’ll say to just be available,” Turpin said. “I gotta be trustworthy so they know when they call my number, I’ll go out there and make a play. Kickoff returns and punt returns, I’ll be me and try to make a Pro Bowl again. “But, on offense, I’ll let them believe in me and trust in me to go out there and be the playmaker I can be.” It bears mentioning here that Turpin is coming off of a career year offensively, grabbing 420 receiving yards and two touchdowns while adding another 92 rushing yards to the mix, also averaging nearly 14 yards per reception in the process. He’s proven to be more than a simple gadget guy, but instead one who can also stretch the field a time or two. Promising rookie Donovan Ezeiruaku drawing rave reviews from Cowboys staff — there’s just one thing missing – Garrett Podell, CBS Sports Dallas’ defensive draft pick has been dazzling spectators this offseason. Life as a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft has been smooth sailing for Dallas Cowboys 44th overall pick edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku. “It’s going really well … I’m living the dream honestly,” Ezeiruaku said Tuesday at Dallas’ mandatory minicamp. “I graduated from school, so this is just football right now. So I don’t have to worry about anything else. It’s really good.” Except for one thing: the Boston College All-American doesn’t have a signed rookie contract. NFL first-round picks typically receive mostly or fully guaranteed contracts. Second-round picks do not usually receive such a contract. That could be changing as player agents and front offices are at a collective impasse. “The top two picks getting the fourth year fully guaranteed is slowing down the process near the top of the round,” said CBS Sports contract guru Joel Corry, who is a former agent. “I’m not sure why picks at the bottom of the second round haven’t gotten done yet.” One of the perks of being a rookie edge rusher with Dallas is being able to learn from four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Micah Parsons, something Ezeiruaku is fully
Netflix documentary ‘America’s Team: The Gambler and his Cowboys’ set for August 19th release
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images We officially have a release date for Jerry Jones’ Netflix documentary. You may have forgotten, but there is a Netflix documentary in the works about Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. Obviously material like this is par for the course in terms of who the Cowboys are and have been, that quality likely serving as a reason that Netflix wanted to profile the team and their famous owner. Still though, it has been almost six months since any word was spoken of the would-be series (the trailer for it dropped back in December), but that all changed Wednesday. The definitive story of Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys. America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys premieres August 19. pic.twitter.com/8OhIvfV2UN — Netflix (@netflix) June 11, 2025 The series that Netflix is titling “America’s Team: The Gambler and his Cowboys” will officially premiere on August 19th. For what it’s worth, the Cowboys have preseason games on both the 16th and 22nd of that month so this will come right between those. Jerry Jones has often been referred to as a gambler and the story of how he mortgaged everything he owned to initially buy the Cowboys has been told many times. It seems this is the angle that Netflix is leaning into. Anyone who has paid attention in recent history though knows that this is not exactly who Jerry and the front office have been relative to roster construction in recent years. We will see whether or not Netflix will cover that specifically. Who is ready for August 19th?
Cowboys to hold joint practice with Rams on Aug. 5
Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images The Cowboys will once again practice with the Rams The Dallas Cowboys are currently going through mandatory minicamp before the dead period hits in which there won’t be any activities going on before training camp at the end of July. However, ESPN’s Todd Archer dropped a nugget on Wednesday regarding the Cowboys’ itinerary while they’re in Oxnard, California. On August 5, the Cowboys will hold a joint practice with the Los Angeles Rams. The Cowboys are scheduled to have a joint practice with the Rams on Aug. 5 in Oxnard, California, per multiple sources. The teams meet in the first preseason game at SoFi Stadium on Aug. 9. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) June 11, 2025 The Cowboys and Rams have quite the history when it comes to practicing together, it’s spicy. Back in 2015, a fight broke out between both teams which featured former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant. In 2021, another skirmish broke out between future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald and former Cowboys offensive lineman Connor Williams. The two teams also held joint practices in 2024. It makes perfect sense for the Cowboys and Rams to have these joint practices. They train less than 24 miles away from each other which makes for an easy commute. Also, it gives both teams to get ready for their preseason opener against one another, much like they did a year ago. History says there could be some fireworks.
Cowboys Survey: What grade does Brian Schottenheimer deserve so far?
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images Cowboys fans seem pretty pleased with Brian Schottenheimer. It feels like a long time ago that we were debating whether keeping Mike McCarthy made sense, and where we should turn if he didn’t come back. Jerry Jones initially wanted to keep McCarthy, but the two couldn’t come together on a deal with contract length reportedly a sticking point. Once McCarthy decided to leave, plenty of names surfaced as a replacement. Remember the Jason Witten/Deion Sanders rumors? Or the possible return of the anointed one, Kellen Moore? Names were floated, but in the end the Cowboys decided to promote from within and moved offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer into the role, his first as a head coach in the NFL. The move was not met with universal acclaim. In fact, many were angry about it. The reasons varied at the time, but it was hard to find fans that were enthusiastic about it. Fast forward to now. We’ve heard Schottenheimer speak at press conferences and interviews. We’ve observed the coaching staff he has put together. We’ve seen his impact on roster building. We have been told stories of the new culture he is instituting at the Star. Given all that has transpired since his hire, how would you grade Schottenheimer’s first half a year on the job? Vote in the poll and then hit the comments. Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Dallas Cowboys fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Please take our survey
Cowboys training camp battles: Marshawn Kneeland vs Sam Williams
Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images The Cowboys have a variety of depth at edge rusher. One of the more intriguing training camp battles Cowboy fans should be interested in evaluating is at the defensive end position with Marshawn Kneeland and Sam Williams. Kneeland has a hot start to his rookie offseason, showing really impressive signs in training camp and preseason games. Unfortunately, the hype quieted down quite a bit when the regular season rolled around. For Williams, the 2024 season was a quick loss for the third-year edge rusher. Williams tore his ACL and MCL on July 28th early in camp. Heading into 2025, both Kneeland and Williams will be relied on heavily given the departures of DeMarcus Lawrence and Chauncey Golston. The Cowboys used their second-round pick in the draft to help with their losses in free agency by taking Donovan Ezeiruaku, but both Kneeland and Williams will be relied on heavily apart of a rotation that defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus likes to use. In his short stint with the Cowboys, Williams has shown more upside in limited snaps, but Kneeland has been tagged as an ascending player that could be in for a second-year jump in the Cowboys defense. The depth chart will fall into Matt Eberflus’ hands, who was not a part of either players draft process when they were selected. Neither Williams or Kneeland will be in jeopardy of not making the team out of camp, but the opportunities they get in the regular season could be determined by how both players perform in camp and preseason over the next few months. Who has the bigger year? Vote in the poll and hit the comments.
BTB Wednesday Discussion: What do you think Micah Parsons and Jerry Jones were talking about?
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports Micah Parsons and Jerry Jones talked on Tuesday… what do you think they discussed? The Dallas Cowboys kicked off their mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and as he promised he would be, Micah Parsons was in attendance. While Parsons was accounted for on Tuesday, he did not participate in drills which incited some conversation. On the subject of conversations, one thing he did participate in was one with Jerry Jones. Micah Parsons was on the field but did not take part in any drills. He did have a prolonged conversation with owner Jerry Jones for about 25-30 minutes. pic.twitter.com/rt9K0ZocD4 — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) June 10, 2025 Cowboys DE Micah Parsons said he’ll still be in Oxnard for training camp even if a new contract isn’t done: “I’ll be out there.” He didn’t say if he’ll be on the field practicing, though Parsons said he and Jerry Jones never discussed his contract during their lengthy talk today pic.twitter.com/qGt2KybciT — Jon Machota (@jonmachota) June 10, 2025 It is obviously impossible to know what the two were talking about in this moment. It almost seems too impossible from a scripted standpoint that they were brokering a deal on a massive contract over on the side of a practice field. Those things used to happen, but they feel like a forgotten part of contract discussions with the advancements in that business. Parsons clearing up that they weren’t talking about the deal makes sense along those lines. Maybe you still think that’s exactly what they were talking about, though. Or perhaps you think they were swapping recommendations on what to watch on a streaming service. What exactly do you think they were discussing? Let us know in the comments below!
Cowboys news: Micah Parsons and Donovan Ezeiruaku connecting on and off the field
Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images Micah Parsons and the Cowboys second round pick are hitting it off Donovan Ezeiruaku opens up about first minicamp, Micah’s influence – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com Micah Parsons is taking the Dallas Cowboys‘ second-round pick under his wing. It bodes well for the upstart NFL pass rusher that his position group is led by none other than Micah Parsons, an All-Pro who is off to a historic start to his career and, despite ongoing contract negotiations, reported to minicamp with the added goal of mentoring and coaching up the younger talent on the defensive line. “I told them no egos in this room,” said Parsons of his message to the group. “… If I’m not [hustling], tell me to get the f-ck on. … Everybody’s sh-t stinks. We’re not all perfect.” The words resonate heavily with Ezeiruaku and others. “Nobody’s above anybody,” he said. “We all have different successes, and have all done certain things already in the game. [Granted, in the NFL] I haven’t done anything, but it doesn’t matter, because if one guy isn’t going hard, we’re gonna get on that guy the same way as anybody else was not going hard. “Everybody’s equal. That’s pretty much what we mean by [an egoless group].” The bond has also been made more profound off of the field, by way of group gatherings that include bowling nights, and though the super-competitive Parsons may or may not agree, Ezeiruaku pointed out he’s one to contend with at the lanes; and that he routinely bowls “in the [200s]”. A close-knit group and locker room speaks largely to the culture being constructed by head coach Brian Schottenheimer and, to this point, there is evidence everywhere of its early roots taking hold. Cowboys’ Schottenheimer as first-year coach and playcaller – Todd Archer, ESPN A first-time head coach must be prepared for multiple curveballs in their inaugural season in the NFL. Callahan and Canales mentioned game management as a large aspect of their jobs that needed an adjustment. Canales has George Li as the Panthers’ game management coordinator. They watched playoff games together last year to go over end-of-half and end-of-game scenarios, as well as when to use the challenge flag. “He’s peppering me with different situations that come up throughout the week,” Canales said. “I felt covered by him to be able to give me a heads-up on things that might come up so I can be focused on making the next call. Certainly, when we’re on the defensive side, then there’s more open dialogue with those things, but I lean on George.” For Schottenheimer, that person is Ryan Feder, one of the holdovers from McCarthy’s staff. He was an assistant quarterbacks coach last year with game management responsibilities, but he carries the game management coordinator title under Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer called Feder a “trusted adviser.” “I think he does it as well as anybody in the business. On game day, you need one voice that you’re hearing. Because obviously these things happen at critical and tense moments and things like that,” Schottenheimer said. “So to have that one voice be someone that you have complete confidence in and complete trust in, really does matter.” Schottenheimer said he will listen to everybody — players, assistants, other head coaches — but that doesn’t mean he will always implement what he’s told. “You talk to people all the time. I’ve been thinking about this really my whole life as a professional, what I wanted to do,” Schottenheimer said. “But there’s things that come up every day and I kind of wish my dad was still here — I’d reach out to him. But you know, the coaches around the league, spending time with those guys at the league meetings, they were great. They’ve all been first-time head coaches. Brian Schottenheimer’s culture & connections mean 0 until it all goes to hell – Mac Engel, Fort Worth Star-Telegram Head coach Brian Schottenheimer’s ‘wins’ this offseason must translate to wins in the fall. It applies to Brian Schottenheimer, who is 51; at 51, Schottenheimer is not a young NFL head coach. The average age of the NFL head coach in 2025 is 48, the lowest it’s been in 25 years. But at 51, Schottenheimer is a head coach for the first time in his life. “The landscape of coaching is changing, where a lot more younger coaches are getting opportunities to coach, because I think it’s about that connection,” Ryans said in an interview before he was formally inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame last month at AT&T Stadium. Brian Schottenheimer’s ‘culture shock’ Since Schottenheimer was named the new head coach of the Cowboys in January, much has been said and written about his ability to “connect” with the players in an effort to build a “culture” he seeks. He put a ping-pong table in the middle of the Cowboys locker room at The Star in Frisco. These sorts of toys are not uncommon in pro sports locker rooms; the Texas Rangers had one for several years until someone in management had it removed because they didn’t think a playing a game is serious enough for a profession that is ultimately a game. Schottenheimer recently had the team’s quarterbacks, with their families, partake in a lesson where they learned Greek line dancing. Over the weekend, a video of defensive end Micah Parsons calling Schottenheimer to “say goodnight” went viral on social media. The head coach wasn’t thrilled that the video was leaked by the player himself on his TikTok account, but at least it shows Schottenheimer has a relationship with his most talented player, who is currently in a contract holdout of sorts. Cowboys’ Micah Parsons on latest contract talk, if he will attend training camp without new deal – Jon Machota, The Athletic Micah Parsons spoke about almost everything during his media availability on Tuesday. At one point, Parsons spent roughly 30 minutes talking with Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones.