The Dallas Cowboys have turned what looked like a lost season into something far more interesting. After a rough start that had them buried in the standings and buried in doubt, they’ve clawed their way back into the playoff conversation.
It’s still a long road ahead, and they’ll need both wins and a little help to sneak into the postseason. But regardless of how the final stretch shakes out, one thing is becoming clearer by the week: Brian Schottenheimer deserves another year as head coach.
Now, let’s be honest-opinions on Schottenheimer have been split from the jump. Some folks were on board early, impressed by his demeanor and leadership in pressers.
Others weren’t sold, especially after a 3-5-1 start before the bye week. And when the defense was playing historically bad football, it was easy to shift the blame away from the offensively-minded Schottenheimer.
But even with that context, the pressure was mounting.
Fast forward to now, and the Cowboys are riding a three-game win streak. They’ve beaten both of last season’s Super Bowl teams and are back above .500.
That’s not nothing. Still, skepticism lingers.
The NFC playoff picture is brutal, and Dallas is trying to climb out of a hole in a conference where the seventh-seeded 49ers are sitting at 9-4. That’s a steep hill.
So sure, the odds aren’t great-but the vibe around this team has changed.
And a big part of that change is Schottenheimer.
This team has shown real resilience since the bye week, and not just in terms of Xs and Os. The emotional toll of Marshawn Kneeland’s death could’ve unraveled a locker room.
Instead, the Cowboys have rallied. That kind of response doesn’t happen without leadership-both from the players and the man at the top.
And if you listen to the players, they’re pointing to Schottenheimer as the guy who helped keep it all together.
Take the situation with CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens in Las Vegas. Both were benched for the opening series.
No sideline tantrums. No cryptic tweets.
No drama. Just accountability and professionalism.
That kind of response doesn’t happen in a fractured locker room. It happens when the head coach commands respect-not through fear, but through consistency and trust.
In today’s NFL, where everything is under a microscope, that’s meaningful.
For years, the Cowboys have struggled to find a head coach who could elevate the talent already in the building. Even when they had strong rosters, something always seemed off-either the defense wasn’t ready, or the offensive line was in shambles. Schottenheimer’s first season has been far from perfect, but he’s shown he can steady the ship, even when the waters get rough.
Let’s not forget how bad that defense was early in the season. It was historically bad.
That alone could’ve tanked any first-year coach’s shot at a fair evaluation. But now that the defense has stabilized and the offense is finding rhythm, we’re seeing a more complete team-and a clearer picture of what Schottenheimer brings to the table.
Is he the next great offensive mind? Probably not in the McVay-Shanahan mold.
But that’s not the only way to win in this league. What Schottenheimer brings is leadership and culture-building.
That’s not just coach-speak-it’s a real, tangible asset. Look around the league: Mike Tomlin in Pittsburgh, Andy Reid in Kansas City-those guys are supported by strong coordinators, but they set the tone.
Schottenheimer seems to be doing the same in Dallas.
And let’s be real, coaching the Cowboys is a different kind of pressure. The expectations are sky-high, the spotlight never dims, and the noise is constant.
Not everyone is built for it. But so far, Schottenheimer has handled it with poise.
He’s kept this team together, kept them believing, and kept them fighting.
Whether or not Dallas sneaks into the playoffs this year, Schottenheimer has earned the chance to keep building. The Cowboys finally feel like a team with an identity again-one that’s tough, accountable, and unified. That’s not easy to create, especially in a season that started the way this one did.
So while the future remains uncertain, the present tells us this: Brian Schottenheimer belongs in that big chair. And he’s earned the right to keep sitting in it come 2026.