The Cowboys are making their push for the most underwhelming coaching hire of the offseason.
Dallas is closing in on hiring its offensive coordinator Brian ScH๏τtenheimer as the team’s new head coach, according to longtime Cowboys reporter Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS.
The move is expected to be completed by Friday at the latest, per the report.
Hiring ScH๏τtenheimer certainly will be a much-debated decision for America’s Team after the confusing handling of Mike McCarthy’s departure and the team’s rather small pool of candidates.
ScH๏τtenheimer, the 51-year-old son of former NFL coach Marty ScH๏τtenheimer, has zero head coaching experience and is stepping into perhaps the league’s highest-profile job.
He served as offensive coordinator for the Jets from 2006-11, the Rams from 2012-14, the Seahawks from 2018-20 and has been in that role with the Cowboys for the last two years.
The ironic part is that McCarthy called the plays for the Cowboys over the last two seasons, meaning Dallas’ offensive success and/or failures were more tied to him than ScH๏τtenheimer.
Dallas could have just retained McCarthy, but the sides could not agree on a new contract and recently parted ways … just for the Cowboys to turn to his coordinator.
For all of McCarthy’s issues, going from a Super Bowl-winning coach who presided over three recent 12-wins seasons to an unproven first-time coach opens the door for owner Jerry Jones to be scrutinized.
It would be one thing if the Cowboys were preparing to hire a top name in the coaching cycle like former Lions coordinator and new Bears coach Ben Johnson, but ScH๏τtenheimer isn’t viewed on that level.
The Cowboys have enjoyed success before with an uninspiring coach in Jason Garrett — who perhaps is the the template Jones is trying to follow after his ascension from coordinator to coach — but they are entering a pivotal offseason with a top-heavy aging roster coming off a 7-10 campaign.
ScH๏τtenheimer has familiarity with quarterback Dak Prescott and star receiver CeeDee Lamb, but the Cowboys need help across the board to compete in a tough NFC East.
The Commanders seemingly have found their franchise quarterback in Jayden Daniels, the Eagles are perennial contenders and the Giants … oh, who are we kidding.
Hiring a coordinator whose offenses haven’t exactly set the league on fire in an attempt to keep up with this year’s two NFC finalists is a bold move.
ScH๏τtenheimer will come cheap, though, and may not ask for as much team-building control as other more-experienced candidates may have wanted.
Jones has a large role in how the team is constructed and there have been questions over the years about whether he would hire a coach who will challenge his views or even his celebrity status.
Dallas also interviewed Seattle ᴀssistant Leslie Frazier, former Jets coach Robert Saleh and Kellen Moore, its former offensive coordinator who’s now in the same role in Philadelphia, per Pro Football Talk.
