The Dallas Cowboys are no strangers to bold moves, but even by their standards, the decision to part ways with Mike McCarthy and hand the reins to Brian Schottenheimer raised more than a few eyebrows. McCarthy had led the team to three straight 12-5 seasons - a level of regular-season consistency the franchise hadn’t seen in years. In contrast, Schottenheimer stepped into the role without a single head coaching gig on his résumé.
Jerry Jones, never one to shy away from a headline, asked fans to trust the process. But after a 7-9-1 finish in Schottenheimer’s debut season, the patience in Dallas is already wearing thin - and the numbers tell the story.
This wasn’t a team that lacked talent. Dak Prescott turned in a strong statistical campaign, throwing for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns.
Javonte Williams was a force on the ground, racking up 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns. And the receiving corps was electric - George Pickens broke out with 1,429 yards and nine scores, while CeeDee Lamb added 1,077 yards and three touchdowns of his own.
That production helped the Cowboys finish with the No. 2-ranked offense in the league.
And yet, the wins didn’t follow.
That disconnect between offensive firepower and on-field results has become the central tension of the Schottenheimer era so far. And it’s not just fans who are questioning the direction - Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith has joined the chorus of concern.
Speaking on the “Deebo & Joe” podcast, Smith didn’t hold back.
“I don't know what's wrong with them boys,” he said, pulling no punches. “You know how the locker room is.
I look at the Pittsburgh Steelers as a championship organization, just like the San Francisco 49ers. You know how to win.
You know what the culture looks like, and players come in knowing what's expected. I don't have to tell you - because your leadership goes from the top down.
I don't know if we [Cowboys] have that kind of leadership from top down.”
That’s not just a critique of coaching - that’s a challenge to the entire organizational structure. Smith, who knows a thing or two about winning in Dallas, is pointing to something deeper than X’s and O’s. He’s talking about culture, accountability, and whether this team has the top-down vision to return to contender status.
And time is not on their side.
Prescott will be 33 before next season kicks off. The roster is facing significant turnover, with 15 pending free agents, including key contributors like Pickens, Williams, linebacker Kenneth Murray, edge rushers Dante Fowler Jr. and Jadeveon Clowney, and defensive lineman Sam Williams. That’s a lot of talent potentially walking out the door.
And when you zoom out, the bigger picture is even more sobering: the Cowboys have just four playoff wins since 1997.
So while Schottenheimer might have gotten a mulligan in Year 1, Year 2 won’t come with the same grace period. The offensive numbers are there, but the results haven’t followed. If that doesn’t change - and fast - the calls for a new direction will only grow louder.
This is Dallas. The expectations are always sky-high. And right now, the pressure is building.