A little more than four months into his first job as an NFL head coach, Schottenheimer has provided a jolt to the morale and culture within the Cowboys organization.
DALLAS — Backwards visor? Check.
Ping pong table in the locker room? Check.
A new electricity at Dallas Cowboys practice? Check.
I was skeptical at first. But, there’s no denying it — something is different about this Cowboys team. That something is Brian Schottenheimer.
A little more than four months into his first job as an NFL head coach, Schottenheimer has provided a jolt to the morale and culture within the Cowboys organization — from the front office to the backfield.
“You see the energy, it’s natural,” remarked Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones. “It’s rubbing off on the players. You see Dak [Prescott] out there. I saw him getting involved and having a lot of fun with it… You want the energy levels high, and I think Coach Schottenheimer’s getting that done… in a way that the players embrace. And I wanna be a part of it.”
As the son of NFL coaching legend Marty Schottenheimer, Brian isn’t trying to replicate his late father’s old-school style.
“The way we practice and the way I act at practice — my father is looking down from heaven, going, ‘What are you doing? That’s not how you practice,’” Schottenheimer joked. “But, the type of athletes and young men we’re coaching now has changed.”
“Coach Schotty” is a 51-year-old who acts 20–30 years younger. His demeanor is reminiscent of Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll. After all, Carroll was one of Schottenheimer’s mentors during their time together with the Seattle Seahawks.
“I remember Pete… running around the practice field with more energy than me and I was in my 40s,” Schottenheimer recalled. “I’m like, ‘Damn, I gotta get in shape.’”
For Schottenheimer, keeping things high-energy isn’t optional — it’s essential. He leads by example on the practice field by dancing, laughing, running, running, hugging, clapping, high-fiving and a bunch of other verbs I’m probably forgetting.
“Schotty is a players’ coach,” noted Cowboys safety Juanyeh Thomas. “We’re excited to go to practice.”
“If we’re not into it, running around… then the players won’t be either,” Schottenheimer explained. “They follow our lead.”
This new energy isn’t just a gimmick — it’s a statement. The Cowboys are not hoping to fortify a culture going into the 2025 season — they’re willing it.
Schottenheimer summed it up best: “When the coaches bring the juice and the energy and the vibe, [the players] are gonna follow suit.”