The Dallas Cowboys decided to move on from Mike McCarthy at the conclusion of the 2024 season after a record of 49-35. That was a bit of a controversial move after three consecutive 12-win seasons before the 7-10 finish last. However, the Cowboys needed a change in leadership and decided to promote Brian Schottenheimer from offensive coordinator to head coach.
The decision to hire Schottenheimer was not well-liked when it was initially announced, as the Cowboys didn’t even interview candidates like Ben Johnson, Liam Coen, or Aaron Glenn during this cycle. It felt like a half-hearted decision, and hiring a first-year head coach in his 50s certainly didn’t excite the fanbase.
But Schottenheimer has won over fans in the past few months, and the excitement appears to be building going into the summer. However, not everyone is convinced that he’ll have a lot of success in Dallas. Most sportsbooks have the Cowboys projected to win 7.5 games this season, which suggests they aren’t a serious playoff contender during Schottenheimer’s first season.
In a recent article by Mason Cameron of Pro Football Focus, he is more optimistic than most that Schottenheimer will be successful in Year 1.
PFF is bullish on the Brian Schottenheimer-led Cowboys
Here is a snippet of why Cameron believes the Cowboys will go over that win total during the 2025 season:
"While Brian Schottenheimer enters his first season as a head coach, he’s no stranger to the Cowboys. Having been with the organization since 2021 and serving as offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, his continuity and familiarity with the roster should help ease the transition. The path through the NFC East will be challenging, and a division title may be out of reach, but hitting the eight-win mark is a realistic and attainable goal."Mason Cameron, Pro Football Focus
The roster is undoubtedly in better shape than it was a year ago, especially with the addition of George Pickens in recent weeks. They finally have a No. 2 receiver to complement CeeDee Lamb, and the Cowboys have done a lot of work to revamp the offensive line.
They've also added a lot of depth on defense, especially on the defensive line with additions like Dante Fowler Jr., Payton Turner, and Solomon Thomas.
The schedule is brutal for the Cowboys, especially down the stretch and that could be the biggest reason why this team ultimately fails to make the playoffs. But considering Dallas won seven games last season despite Dak Prescott missing more than half the season suggests the overall talent is still pretty good.
And if Schottenheimer can be even an average head coach in Year 1, look for the Cowboys to post another winning season.