Cowboys add demoted 49ers coach to Schottenheimer’s staff as ST Coordinator angeltorres The Cowboys are wasting little time assembling a staff for new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, hiring Nick Sorensen as their special teams coordinator. Sorensen is replacing John Fassel, who held the position for the past five seasons. After spending the 2022 and 2023 seasons as a defensive assistant in Santa Clara, Sorensen was promoted to the 49ers defensive coordinator position in 2024. The results weren’t great, leading the 49ers to relieve him of those duties, though they didn’t fire him. Sorensen was still under contract with the 49ers for the 2025 season but San Francisco publicly stated that he would not be the defensive coordinator. The team did want him to return in a different capacity. The demotion allowed Sorensen to seek employment elsewhere finding refuge with a former colleague. Sorensen broke into the league as an assistant special teams coach with the Seahawks in 2013 and held the position before adding assistant defensive back to his resume in 2016. He was then promoted to DB coach for the 2017 season. The following year, he would help welcome Brian Schottenheimer to the Seattle staff as offensive coordinator where the two would spend the next three seasons battling each other in practice daily. The connection would continue in 2021 as both coaches would find roles on the Jaguars staff under then-head coach Urban Meyer; Schottenheimer as Jacksonville’s quarterbacks coach and Sorensen as special teams coordinator. Sorensen played 10 seasons in the NFL as a defensive back, appearing in 131 games before turning to coaching.
Breaking down the scheme of new Cowboys defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus
Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images The former Cowboys coach returns with a familiar scheme As had been expected for several days, the Cowboys named Matt Eberflus as their new defensive coordinator, moving on from Mike Zimmer after one season. Eberflus coached the Cowboys linebackers for seven seasons, spending the last two with the added title of pass game coordinator. The Cowboys have hired Matt Eberflus as their defensive coordinator, per a source. Officially in the fold. — Todd Archer (@toddarcher) January 28, 2025 Eberflus originally came to Dallas to follow Rob Ryan, under whom he had coached in Cleveland, but was retained when Monte Kiffin and Rod Marinelli took over the defense from Ryan. Eberflus quickly became a disciple of the legendary Tampa 2 defense, which he fully implemented as the Colts defensive coordinator when he departed Dallas following the 2017 season. Four successful seasons running the Colts defense helped Eberflus land the head coaching gig for the Bears. That kicked off a trying tenure that saw plenty of struggles, both on and off the field, for the team. Eberflus was fired shortly after a Thanksgiving loss to Detroit this past season, a game that saw him opt not to call a timeout in a critical end-of-game moment. It was the first time in the Bears’ 104-year history they had fired a coach midseason; Eberflus finished with a 14-32 record. Don’t let that discourage you from this hire, though. Eberflus may not have worked out as a head coach, but his defensive prowess has not disappeared. While Eberflus initially did not call the plays on defense in Chicago, he took over after two weeks in the 2023 season. Once Eberflus resumed calling plays, his defense flourished: they finished that year ninth in EPA/play, 13th in success rate, and sixth in EPA/rush. Eberflus remained the play-caller in 2024 (until his firing, that is) and the Bears were ninth in EPA/play, 10th in success rate, and seventh in EPA/dropback under his watch. It seems that coordinator is where Eberflus is most suited, but what’s the method behind his madness? With nearly six full seasons calling plays, Eberflus’ scheme is pretty clear by now, and there are some signature tenets of his defensive philosophy. It starts with HITS Throughout his coaching tenure, Eberflus has retained one simple mantra: HITS. The acronym stands for Hustle, Intensity, Takeaways, and Smart. The HITS principle is the fundamental lynchpin of the Eberflus defense. Hustle and intensity basically go hand-in-hand. Eberflus uses the same loaf system that Marinelli utilized in Dallas (and in other stops), which essentially amounts to tracking how often a player is being lazy during a play. Eberflus often points to the final three seconds of any given play, tracking “an acceleration to and through” the play. As for takeaways, Eberflus has frequently stressed the importance of them. In his four seasons in Indianapolis, the Colts defense finished Top 10 in takeaways all but one year. The Bears accomplished that feat each of the last two years as well. Eberflus stresses tip drill fundamentals and ball stripping techniques often in practices to encourage this. The final tenet – smart – ultimately comes down to discipline. His Colts defenses finished each season with fewer penalties than the year before, and his Bears defenses finished in the top five in fewest penalties two of his three season; they had the fewest of any defense last year. Execution over creativity Recent years in the NFL has seen a proliferation of defensive coordinators who throw out a ton of chaotic concepts, including each of the Cowboys’ last two coaches on that side of the ball. Eberflus, by stark contrast, is not much of a mad scientist with his scheme. The S in HITS could just as easily stand for simplicity, because an Eberflus defense is not one that is going to confuse quarterbacks before or after the snap. While he showed some willingness to deviate in his final year in Chicago, Eberflus is generally pretty vanilla with his defensive concepts. This is intentional, though, as Eberflus prefers to keep things simple for his defense and instead put all the emphasis on playing fast and explosive. He doesn’t want his players thinking too much about what coverage they’re supposed to switch to or how to shift their front based on the offensive alignments, but instead to have just one assignment and go complete their task. That will mark a drastic departure from Zimmer’s scheme, which is notoriously complex but is a nightmare for opposing offenses when it’s properly understood by the defenders. With Eberflus, the Cowboys defenders shouldn’t have much trouble picking up the playbook. Instead, Eberflus will focus more on making sure his players contribute maximum effort on the field. Two core positions For those who remember the Marinelli days in Dallas, Eberflus has some similar personnel requirements when it comes to his roster. He doesn’t necessarily require big bodies in the trenches or insane height in the secondary, but there are two positions of severe importance in this scheme. The first is the 3-technique defensive tackle, which is described as the engine that makes this defense run. Eberflus demands an athletic 3-technique that can disrupt the mesh point, and he builds his entire front around this player. Osa Odighizuwa is an ideal fit for what Eberflus needs here, but the defensive tackle’s rookie deal is set to expire this offseason. Eberflus is likely to push for Odighizwuwa’s extension, but it’s unclear what might happen there. The linebacker spots are also crucial to the scheme. Eberflus, unlike Zimmer, uses nickel packages at an extremely high rate. As such, he really only needs a MIKE and WILL linebacker. There are two main traits he looks for in his linebackers, regardless of spot: size and range. His linebacker duo’s in Indianapolis (Shaq Leonard and Bobby Okereke) and Chicago (Tremaine Edmunds and TJ Edwards) all measure at least 6’2” and right around the 240 pound range. The MIKE spot requires someone
Troy Aikman endorsed Brian Schottenheimer as Cowboys head coach before the hiring
Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images Troy Aikman has offered his endorsement for Brian Schottenheimer. The Dallas Cowboys have finally put their head coaching search to an end on Friday evening by announcing Brian Schottenheimer. Despite the rumors of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, and even former Cowboys great Jason Witten being the next guy, it came down to Schottenheimer and Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who coveted the job as well. The official introductory press conference for Schottenheimer was on Monday. However, Hall of Famer and former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman gave his thoughts on Schottenheimer taking over as head coach before he was hired. Well, I like him a lot. I’m familiar with Brian, of course, we go back a little bit, back when he was coaching for his father. He was on the staff with the Chargers, with Hudson Houck. And I had some conversations with him, many years ago, about some offensive philosophy and things of that nature. And, you know, he goes to Seattle. He was the offensive coordinator there. I thought a lot of him when he was with the Seahawks. And then, of course, with Dallas, his role has been a little bit different. But I like him a lot. Heck of a guy. Been around coaching, of course, his entire life, with his father, Marty. And beyond that, I don’t know that a lot of people know a lot about him. In the last couple of days is when I heard his name being mentioned. That’s probably like most people, and he’s kind of emerged as the dark horse. Schottenheimer was with the Seattle Seahawks for three seasons (2018-2020). They finished 18th and 17th overall offensively in his first and third seasons there, but he did get them to as high as eighth in total offense in 2019. Former Seahawks and current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson had two of his top three seasons in terms of passing yards and his top two seasons when it came to passing touchdowns in Schottenheimer’s offense. Over the past three years, Schottenheimer has been with the Cowboys organization. He was a coaching analyst the first year, and the last two he spent as the offensive coordinator, by title if anything since former head coach Mike McCarthy was calling the plays. That has also allowed Schottenheimer to be around quarterback Dak Prescott a lot, and he’s on record saying that he likes the creativity Schottenheimer could bring to Cowboys offense. Schottenheimer has been in positions of power before, so to speak. Being the head coach of an organization is an entirely different animal, and then when factoring in having to deal with Jerry and Stephen Jones, Schottenheimer will have a lot to overcome. Things that are working in his favor are his energy, which can be infectious, and the possibility of moving away from the generic scheme of McCarthy to more of an offense that will be more innovative. One thing is for certain, Schottenheimer’s time as Cowboys head coach will be interesting.
How Cowboys first-round pick could tell us how Brian Schottenheimer plans to fix offense
Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images The Cowboys have a big decision to make in April’s draft. On Friday evening, the Dallas Cowboys announced that Brian Schottenheimer would be their new head coach. While many people are apprehensive about the team’s decision to hire him, it’s really hard to know what kind of coach they’re getting. A career assistant, he’s never been given this type of control before. Only time will tell if he’s the right guy for the job. While we’ll have to wait for actual football to be played before we learn what he has to offer, we might not have to wait that long to get an idea of how he’ll try to improve the Cowboys’ offense. Will he put a greater emphasis on strengthening the ground attack to give Dak Prescott some help or will he look to add more weapons in the passing game? The Cowboys could answer that question by how they use the 12th overall pick. The case for Ashton Jeanty It’s no secret that one of the Cowboys’ biggest weaknesses this past season was running the football. They averaged just four yards per rushing attempt this season, the third-worst in the NFL. The team’s biggest rushing weapon was undrafted free agent Rico Dowdle, who had a career-best 1,079 yards despite having a limited workload during the first half of the season. Ezekiel Elliott was the team’s RB2, but he was very inefficient. He ran the ball 74 times for 226 yards for a career-low 3.1 yards per carry. Deuce Vaughn had 17 rushes for 70 yards, and for a couple of games Dalvin Cook was a thing, but he only had eight carries for just 20 yards. Suffice it to say, the Cowboys running back arsenal left something to be desired. Taking the best college back would certainly bolster their rushing attack, and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty is this year’s top dog. This past season, Jeanty had gaudy numbers running the ball 374 times for 2,601 yards. That’s an impressive seven yards per carry. He scored a remarkable 30 touchdowns. Schottenheimer was successful running the ball during his time with the New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks. Jeanty has great vision if Schotty employs a gap-scheme rushing attack as he did with the Jets. He does a good job finding the holes and has an excellent drive from those powerful legs to plow through defenders. But the icing on the cake will be when Schottenheimer works in wide zone, allowing Jeanty to get around on the outside and use his sharp change of direction to cut upfield and go wild in space. A running game can be a quarterback’s best friend. Remember in 2014 when Tony Romo had his best season despite throwing for just 247 yards per game? He was aided by one of the league’s top rushing attacks led by DeMarco Murray. Dak Prescott also had things easy with prime Zeke. Drafting a player like Jeanty would help give the Cowboys’ offense a balanced attack. Ashton Jeanty is so talented that he even makes some of the “don’t draft RBs early” crowd rethink their stance. I’d have no problem cheering him on if the #Cowboys decide to pick him.pic.twitter.com/Xgovgy5Q0B — Dominic White (@DomWWhite) January 12, 2025 The case for Luther Burden III While nobody will complain about having a talent like Jeanty on the team, the 12th overall pick is a high price for a running back. There are still plenty of other running backs in the draft that can help the Cowboys’ rushing attack. The same is not true for wide receivers. The 12th overall pick is a great chance to land one of the few elite talents in the draft. There was a time when the Cowboys featured a deadly air attack, but that was when they had both CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper. Since Cooper’s departure, the passing game hasn’t been the same. They’ve tried to find a quality WR2 with Michael Gallup or Brandin Cooks, but it’s just not the same and at times, outright terrible. Most of the time it’s been CeeDee Lamb and nobody else. The Cowboys have a golden opportunity to rectify that in April by taking one college’s best receivers. For the sake of this argument, it doesn’t have to be Missouri’s elusive yard-after-catch receiver, Luther Burden III. It might be the big physical ball tracker of Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan or Ohio State’s route-running specialist Emeka Egbuka. Regardless of who’s your favorite, the Cowboys should have a receiving stud to choose from with pick 12. Prescott is the team’s $60 million per year investment and they should do their best to maximize their investment. The Cowboys have tried to cut corners in the past causing them to rely on players like Tavon Austin, Allen Hurns, and Noah Brown. Those instances failed miserably forcing them to make trades for better players. The Cowboys don’t get draft capital like this very often, so this is a perfect time to make the most of it. Schottenheimer called plays for the Seattle Seahawks in 2020 when they scored a franchise-best 459 points when he had two 1,000-yard receivers in Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Why not give him a couple of receiving stars in Dallas and see what he can do? As exciting as it would be to see Ashton Jeanty running the ball for the Cowboys, it would be even more exhilarating watching defenses struggle to figure out how to stop CeeDee Lamb and Luther Burden III.pic.twitter.com/ii9lsKeEF1 — Dan Rogers (@DannyPhantom24) January 26, 2025
Cowboys news: Brian Schottenheimer officially introduced, staff coming together
Tim Heitman-Imagn Images The latest Dallas Cowboys offseason news. Brian Schottenheimer sets the tone with strong message to Dallas Cowboys players after being introduced as head coach – Mauricio Rodriguez, A to Z Sports Coach Schottenheimer will have plenty of support from his players, but can the front office add to this roster enough to find success again? With Dak Prescott and other key players in attendance, Schottenheimer addressed the media for the first time since the Cowboys announced his hiring last Friday. Schottenheimer, who served as the team’s offensive coordinator in 2023 and 2024, shared an opening statement focusing on what the team would look like under his reign. “To our players, you are the core of this program and we will focus on you everyday,” Schottenheimer said. “To (players in attendance), it means the world to me that you are here. I can’t wait to do this alongside you.” As for what we expects from his locker room, Schottenheimer set the tone with a strong message regarding the attitude he wants from Cowboys players. “We’re looking for world class competitors, guys that wanna compete every day to be the best version of themselves,” he added. “We are looking for people with a relentless work ethic. You don’t belong in this organization if you don’t value relationships. This business has never been about Xs and Os. It’s about people. People that love this game. The game of football has given me so much, my family so much. But if you’re not passionate about the game of football and the shield and what it represents, then you are probably in the wrong business.” Eatman: This hire more about things you can’t see – Nick Eatman, DallasCowboys.com The Cowboys tried to sell the decision to hire Schottenheimer as both a move for continuity and a symbol of change at the same time. Is that a negative or a positive? Again, we’re about to find out. Hey, I’m not going to lie and say that I saw this coming or even thought in the past that this would be a possible move. To be honest, I really haven’t had many interactions with Schottenheimer at all in the past two seasons he has been here. So I won’t sit here today and try to convince you that he’s going to be a great head coach, or that he’s the right fit, or anything like that. All that would be is me relaying what others have told me. Then again, isn’t that what a lot of media and fans are doing as well? Going off what they’ve heard someone else say? Maybe it’s what they’ve seen from his past, or more importantly, what they haven’t seen. Just by looking into Schottenheimer’s coaching history, there’s not a lot of consistent success you could point to as the reason he got this chance. And that includes the stops he’s been at in the past, or even his last couple of years in Dallas. The offensive coordinator position here in 2024 with the Cowboys wouldn’t seem like a position that would land a promotion. I get that. I think Schottenheimer gets that, too. But here’s where I think a lot of people are missing the point – and it’s not really missing it, but rather they just haven’t had the opportunity to witness it yet. Brian Schottenheimer is the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for a lot of things that you just can’t simply see. You can’t see the way he handles himself behind closed doors with his players and colleagues. You can’t see the way he prepares for situations, both during the week and on game day. You can’t see the way he’s handled a somewhat awkward situation of being the offensive coordinator in title only without the usual responsibility of calling the plays. Jason Witten Not Expected to Join Cowboys Staff Under Schottenheimer Despite Rumors – Scott Polacek, Bleacher Report Remember when it felt inevitable that Jason Witten was going to be coaching for the Cowboys next season? “Despite his name making the rounds during the Cowboys’ coaching search, with a belief he’d potentially be added as a position coach in 2025, Jason Witten is not expected to join his former team in any capacity this coming season, per owner and general manager Jerry Jones—though Jones continues to praise the future Hall of Famer as a ‘great coach’ and mentor,” the Cowboys’ official website explained Monday. Witten doesn’t have NFL coaching experience, but he has found quick success in the profession at the high school level. Last month, the former tight end led the Liberty Christian (Argyle, Texas) Warriors to a TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) Division II state championship. His team won the championship game 52-10 and completed a perfect 14-0 season where it outscored opponents 716-96 in total. A jump from high school to the NFL might have been quite the leap, but it’s hard to ignore that success. Report: Dallas Cowboys to hire Nick Sorensen as special teams coordinator – RJ Ochoa, Blogging The Boys The Cowboys have their replacement for John Fassel, a coach with previous experience working alongside Schottenheimer. Schottenheimer’s staff will have Nick Sorensen serving as the special teams coordinator. The post from Tom Pelissero notes that Sorensen served as the special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. Brian Schottenheimer spent that season as the Jaguars’ passing game coordinator so that is their most recent crossover with one another as Schotty joined the Cowboys staff the next year. It should be noted that Jacksonville finished 31st in special teams DVOA in 2021. Most of Sorensen’s career to date has been spent working on the defensive side of the ball which will make this a bit of an adjustment for the special teams group as they were recently coached by John Fassel who left for the same role with the Tennessee Titans. Bones was a special teams wizard with a wealth of knowledge
Cowboys Headlines: Schottenheimer impresses in intro, Jerry & Stephen do not, coordinator updates
Three men sat at the podium during Monday’s introductory press conference at The Star. One of them, the one taking over as the 10th head coach in franchise history, likely gave fans cause for optimism. Brian Schottenheimer came across as thoughtful, intelligent, and heartfelt as he previewed his offensive philosophy, explained where the team is in its retooling efforts, and talked about the impact his legendary coach of a father had on him. The two men flanking him, the ones who hired him, did little to reassure the faithful that the organization is capable of changing its mindset and rebranding itself as a legitimate winner. Jerry Jones rambled about himself and made the front office’s approach this coaching search even more confounding than it already seemed, while Stephen Jones got basic facts wrong and condescendingly dismissed the primary complaint that most of the fanbase shares. In addition to everything noteworthy that came out of Monday’s press conference, we’ll fill you in on the latest in the search for the new skipper’s coordinators and coaches as the Coach Schottenheimer era in Dallas officially begins. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] Brian Schottenheimer will call plays as Dallas Cowboys head coach :: Dallas Morning News Link The search for a new offensive coordinator continues, but Schottenheimer will call plays on gameday, the team has confirmed. In an interesting development, it was revealed Monday that former head coach Mike McCarthy would have continued to call plays had the team retained him as head coach… and Schottenheimer would not have stayed in Dallas. Stephen Jones told reporters that Schottenheimer “was ready to go somewhere, and he had opportunities to go call plays [elsewhere].” Brian Schottenheimer believes Cowboys can win ‘quickly’ :: ESPN Link The new head coach believes he’s already ahead of the curve in his takeover of the team that hasn’t been to a Super Bowl in 29 years. “We can hit the ground running pretty fast because I don’t need to learn the decision-makers. I don’t need to learn the quarterback. I don’t need to learn how things work,” Schottenheimer said. “I’ve had some opportunities when I was a much younger man that I didn’t feel like I was ready. I’m ready now. I know what I want. I know what it looks like.” Schottenheimer previews offensive philosophy :: Nicole Hutchison 5 opposing coaches Cowboys’ Schottenheimer is going to have prove himself better than in 2025 :: Cowboys Wire Link As a 51-year-old first-time head coach in a division that yielded the NFC’s top two teams, Schottenheimer will have his challenges laid out in front of him. Head-to-head matchups with other coulda-woulda-shoulda- Dallas candidates Ben Johnson, Pete Carroll, Aaron Glenn, Kellen Moore, and Kliff Kingsbury will settle the pecking order pretty definitively. Schottenheimer praises Prescott :: Clarence Hill Jr. Cowboys’ Jerry Jones likes Brian Schottenheimer’s ‘baggage,’ but says his coach’s hiring was a ‘risk’ :: The Athletic Link Referring to Schottenheimer’s many years on various NFL staffs without a head coaching gig as “baggage,” Jones also said “I like that experience” when introducing him on Monday. “He’s had 25 years being around the kinds of things that he’s gonna have to draw on to be a coach of the Dallas Cowboys.” Schottenheimer does know the system, has high energy, and is already well-liked by his players. But will he get the necessary support from the front office? Jones claims he’s still taking risks, and admits Schottenheimer is one of them. Cowboys Jerry Jones getting backlash for bizarre behavior during coach introduction :: Athlon Sports Link Jones gave a rambling 11-minute answer when asked about Schottenheimer’s qualifications, but the rant was far more about Jones rather than the coach he had just hired. At various points, Jones droned on about how many Senior Bowls he himself has attended and re-told (yet again) his well-worn story about getting picked up from a flight on his jet in an old Ford Bronco. Stephen Jones uses air quotes to dismiss Cowboys’ very real Super Bowl drought :: RJ Ochoa Stephen overshoots how many games Cowboys have won since 2010 :: Saad Yousuf The family business: Brian Schottenheimer reflects on his father’s impact :: The Mothership Link The Cowboys’ new head coach was quick to thank his dad for his new opportunity in Dallas. Marty Schottenheimer is one of the NFL’s all-time winningest head coaches and was Brian’s greatest influence. Brian pledged to dedicate his first Super Bowl win with the Cowboys to his late father but said he knows Marty would have advice for the here and now: “He’d say to me, ‘Brian, the easy part is over. It’s time to get to work.’” Jerry Jones confirms Deion Sanders was never a serious candidate for the Cowboys job :: Yahoo Sports Link The Cowboys owner told media members on Monday that his Hall of Fame cornerback was never a serious candidate to be the team’s 10th head coach, despite widespread rumor and speculation… and a very highly-publicized informal phone conversation. Jones explained that Coach Prime “already has a job” but admitted that he and his family “think the world of” Sanders. 2025 Staff Tracker: Jason Witten not expected to reunite with Cowboys :: The Mothership Link Earlier projections assumed Witten would be placed on the 2025 coaching staff, but the club seems to have cooled on the idea. The future Hall of Fame tight end is not expected to join the team in any capacity at this time, though Jerry Jones continues to praise Witten as a “great coach” and mentor. Cowboys interview ex-Bears head coach Matt Eberflus for defensive coordinator role :: Dallas Morning News Link The former Bears head coach was brought in to interview Monday at The Star in Frisco. Eberflus has a decade of experience as a defensive coach in the NFL, including seven seasons on staff in Dallas as linebackers coach and then passing game coordinator from 2011 to 2017. Bears secondary coach Andre Curtis and Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow are other names
Cowboys’ Jones claims he’s constantly rolling dice, hiring Schottenheimer ‘as big a risk as you can take’
Cowboys’ Jones claims he’s constantly rolling dice, hiring Schottenheimer ‘as big a risk as you can take’ K.D. Drummond The Dallas Cowboys held their introductory press conference of the 10th head coach in franchise history on Monday, bringing Brian Schottenheimer to the people. After Schottenheimer gave his opening statement, thanking the Jones family for the opportunity and giving his regards for his family’s support, the Q&A session began. The first question lobbed to the panel, as expected, was of Jerry Jones and why he decided to hire Schottenheimer. Why him? Jones took a deep pause of about 10 seconds before entering into a diatribe about how the decision was made. Jones cited how every Senior Bowl and scouting combine, he’d arrive early just so he can engage with potential coaches who might cross his path some time in the future. He spoke of his familiarity with the Schottenheimer family, Brian’s dad Marty and his mother Pat, from prior times on competition committees and basically saying Schottenheimer came from good stock. He spoke of how Schottenheimer showed deference to coaches with more experience, like Mike McCarthy and Mike Zimmer, “biting his lip” when he disagreed with some of their decisions. And then he dropped the money quote. Jones spoke on the accusations that he only operates within confines of people who have crossed his path. He believes the opposite, despite the evidence to the contrary. “I get my proverbial a– kicked over needing people in my comfort zone. Without this thing being about me in any way, ifyou don’t think I can’t operate out of my comfort zone, you’re so wrong it’s unbelievable. This is as big a risk as you can take… as big a risk as you can take. No head coaching experience.” Jones somehow believes that Schottenheimer’s 25 years of experience in the coaching profession is unique, angling that it’s not normal for someone only 51 years old. He then spoke about several of the coaches he’s had in the past, how it wasn’t only about Xs and Os, but more about life experiences in bringing in Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer and Chan Gailey. Jones has an unbelievable blind spot to the criticisms levied against his process. “I’ve read where I don’t have a penchant for risk taking. If you really knew my score sheet, you’d see that I have taken more risks in the last five years than the rest of my life put together.” In football terms, that’s a ridiculous statement to try to pass off on the general public. Jones’ team has signed no external risks in free agency. Taking risks is signing outside players to large amount of guaranteed money, something Jones has proven allergic to for over a decade. He’s taken really one noteworthy risk in the draft, gambling on the red flags attached to CB Kelvin Joseph in the 2021 draft, but that’s about it. It’s been eons since Jones gambled in the draft, trading up to snare a top prospect. Does he consider keeping Mike McCarthy to play out the final year of his five-year contract some sort of leap of faith? Waiting until the final year of CeeDee Lamb’s contract to offer him a near market-setting deal? Perhaps he’s speaking about the first extension for Dak Prescott, where he allowed Prescott to reach free agency, twice, and having to give him both a no-trade and a no-third-franchise-tag clause. Granted, Prescott was coming off a gruesome leg injury when he signed that deal in 2021, so Jones does get credit for that, but he had backed himself into a corner where the only viable free agent QBs were Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jameis Winston, Regardless, these are normal risks that every owner takes, and pretending like these decisions make him some sort of maverick is a confusing spin on the situation. But yes, hiring Schottenheimer is a big risk due to his lack of head coaching experience, but this is the exception to the rule, not the norm, and it’s still a move that checks all of the boxes of an owner who doesn’t want to stray from what’s familiar. This is hardly a knock on what Schottenheimer might do, he could be a fabulous coach and Jones knocked it out of the park. But pretending that in all of those casual interviews he bragged about hosting at the beginning of his soliloquy and there were only four coaches who interested him, and two of those had woefully bad records, is cap. Follow all of your favorite Texas teams at Cowboys Wire, Longhorns Wire, Texans Wire, Rockets Wire and Aggies Wire!
Report: Dallas Cowboys to hire Nick Sorensen as special teams coordinator
Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly hiring Nick Sorensen as their new special teams coordinator. The Dallas Cowboys introduced Brian Schottenheimer as the 10th head coach in franchise history on Monday and before day’s end his first coordinator was reported. Schottenheimer’s staff will have Nick Sorensen serving as the special teams coordinator. The #Cowboys are expected to hire Nick Sorensen as their special teams coordinator, per sources. Sorensen spent last season as the #49ers defensive coordinator. But he has special teams experience, most recently with the #Jaguars in 2021. pic.twitter.com/QvKWzhciEV — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 28, 2025 The post from Tom Pelissero notes that Sorensen served as the special teams coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. Brian Schottenheimer spent that season as the Jaguars’ passing game coordinator so that is their most recent crossover with one another as Schotty joined the Cowboys staff the next year. It should be noted that Jacksonville finished 31st in special teams DVOA in 2021. Most of Sorensen’s career to date has been spent working on the defensive side of the ball which will make this a bit of an adjustment for the special teams group as they were recently coached by John Fassel who left for the same role with the Tennessee Titans. Bones was a special teams wizard with a wealth of knowledge on that side of the ball. That isn’t to say that Sorensen can’t succeed or thrive, just that this is a bit of new.
Cowboys LB Damone Clark named top cap-casualty candidate
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images The Cowboys have a decision to make about Damone Clark. Entering his fourth NFL season and the final year of his rookie contract, Damone Clark has taken a backseat to other more recently added linebackers in Dallas. Could this trend go so far in 2025 as to push him off the Cowboys’ roster completely? A fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft, Clark felt like one of the bright spots of that class a couple of years ago. After quickly establishing his potential as a rookie, Clark started all 17 games in 2023. But after Dallas signed veteran Eric Kendricks and drafted Marist Liufau last spring, plus got DeMarvion Overshown back from injury, Clark’s involvement plummeted to just 18% of the defensive snaps in 2024. The fall in playing time, plus a ballooning fourth-year cap hit, prompted Pro Football Network to name Clark as Dallas’ top candidate to be a salary cap casualty this offseason. Largely due to his 2023 playing time, Clark is expected to count roughly $3.4 million against the cap after Proven Performance Escalators. And with less than $100k in dead money left on the contract, Dallas can clear nearly the entire amount off their books if Clark is released. From a financial standpoint, it sounds highly logical. While it’s not a huge chunk of cap space, $3 million is still worth more in other pursuits than to keep Clark around as a barely-playing backup and special teamer. But that’s where this gets a little sticky as his role in 2025 isn’t so certain. Kendricks is set to become a free agent again and one of the key things that brought him to Dallas, Mike Zimmer, won’t be back as defensive coordinator. While Kendricks could still work well in Matt Eberflus’s scheme, will he want to come back? He did well enough last year that other teams may want his veteran leadership and create a market. What’s worse, Overshown’s significant knee injury last year is expected to keep him out for at least a portion of next season. You could see Dallas riding comfortably into 2025 with Overshown and Liufau as their top-two linebackers but they won’t have that luxury. So for a least the first part of the year, Liufau may need a new fellow starter. Barring some surprising surge from a down-roster prospect like Brock Mogensen, or new options in the next free agent and rookie crops, Clark is the next man up at linebacker. But he has to get to training camp to compete for snaps and that cap hit is obviously going to be tough for Dallas to swallow given how last season went. Clark’s saving grace may be Eberflus’ arrival. Depending on what the new DC is looking for in his linebackers, perhaps Clark’s value to the team will rise from where Zimmer’s one year took it. But again, Clark’s best opportunity to impress Eberflus wouldn’t be until camp. So it really comes down to whether or not the Cowboys are willing to carry that cap number through the offseason and give him that chance. While not offering the highest potential cap relief of guys like Terence Steele and Donovan Wilson, Damone Clark’s far lesser role in 2024 would make him an easier cut. But given the Cowboys’ uncertainty at linebacker, will they pull that trigger or at least give Clark a chance to earn his way back onto the roster this year?
5 opposing coaches Cowboys’ Schottenheimer is going to have prove himself better than in 2025
Ben Johnson, Chicago Bears Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson watches warm up before the Dallas Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023. The Cowboys indecision with McCarthy following the end of the regular season cost them a window to interview the Lions’ coordinators. As the No. 1 seed with a bye, their assistants were available the first week of the playoffs, but Jones wanting to low-ball and extend McCarthy meant they didn’t look elsewhere. The Bears cast a wide net, interviewing Johnson among a dozen other candidates, and soon after Detroit was eliminated in the divisional round, he agreed to terms with Chicago before ever meeting with Jones. The Cowboys face the entire NFC North in 2025, so this matchup is sure to draw attention. Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles Aug 17, 2022; Costa Mesa, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore reacts during joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers at Jack Hammett Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports The Cowboys seemed to only have two genuine candidates under consideration, Schottenheimer and Kellen Moore, who was Schotty’s predecessor as Cowboys OC. Let go when McCarthy wanted to call plays, Moore was unavailable for in-person interviews as the Eagles have played the last three weeks leading to their Super Bowl appearance. Reports are that Moore, who had a virtual interview, was really keen on coaching Dallas, so them making a decision before getting their chance to talk to him in person is going to likely light a rage. If he stays in Philly (only the Saints still have an opening), he’ll be able to extract his revenge twice. Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders LANDOVER, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 22: Head coach Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders looks on prior to the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Northwest Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Timothy Nwachukwu/Getty Images) An oldy but goody, but there’s an alternate universe out there somewhere that the Cowboys decided that they’d seen enough of McCarthy following the 2023 season and promoted Quinn instead of letting him walk to Washington. There’s also a world where the club saw what Kingsbury did with the Washington offense, and considered that after his failed stint as HC in Arizona, he looks to be the next “got it right the second time around” candidate. Aaron Glenn, New York Jets Jan 9, 2022; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn looks on during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports Along with Johnson, Glenn was also available to be interviewed during wild-card week, but Dallas was busy. Now the former Cowboys DB is headed to New York to take over that reclamation project. Glenn led a resurgent Lions defense that went from league worst before his arrival to one of the league’s best in 2024 before a ridiculous avalanche of injuries ruined them down the stretch and into their playoff failure. Still, if he can figure out a way to revive the Jets, that 2025 matchup will have a bunch of would’ve should’ve could’ve’s. The Jets are the Cowboys’ 17th game opponent in 2025. Pete Carroll, Las Vegas Raiders Jun 11, 2019; Renton, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll answers questions during a press conference following a minicamp practice at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports Jones spoke to Carroll about the Cowboys’ opening, though no formal interview was made before he decided to take the Raiders job. The Super Bowl and CFB National Champion is 73, so it wouldn’t have been a long-term match, but the fact he was considered means there’s a storyline to be told when the two teams meet in 2025. The AFC West is the Cowboys’ cross-conference matchup this coming season. Other coaches of note: 2024 As mentioned with Quinn, the Cowboys could’ve chosen to go in another direction than McCarthy after being booted out the 2023 playoffs, but decided to bring him back in a lame-duck year that fizzled out early. After years of flirting with the idea, Jim Harbaugh ran out of dodge ahead of NCAA sanctions after finally getting the Michigan Wolverines to the promise land. If Jones was looking for a big name replacement for McCarthy, Harbaugh would’ve been a huge splash and he could’ve walked into an even better situation than the one he turned around with the Los Angeles Chargers. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh looks on during the national championship celebration at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Another one to keep an eye on will be the progress of Dave Canales in Carolina. Canales was an interesting hire in Carolina and if the progress the Panthers showed down the back end of the season continues to trend the franchise early, he’ll be another opponent that can be thrown in Jones’ face. Carolina is the Cowboys’ NFC South opponent for next season.
