The Dallas Cowboys believe they have built a squad that has a chance to do some real damage in the NFC. Over the last few months, more national analysts have come around on the idea that Dallas has what it takes to be a legitimate threat to the Seahawks and the Rams at the top of the conference.
On paper, they have one of the most talented rosters in the league, especially if the defense can turn things around. But NFL games aren’t won and lost on paper. With the margins for error smaller than ever, it’s the little things that ultimately make the difference when it comes to making the playoffs or not. And unfortunately, the Cowboys have failed in this area repeatedly over the last several seasons.
In a recent article by Pro Football Focus, Bradley Locker took a look at the penalty data around the league over the last five seasons and found some fascinating trends. One of the most disturbing trends for Dallas is that they lead the league in penalties (756) over the last five seasons. In fact, they have had 79 more penalties than the second-most penalized team in the NFL (Titans) during that span.
While being a highly penalized team doesn’t automatically disqualify anyone from being competitive, it does make it a lot harder to consistently win in the NFL. Here is a snippet of what Locker had to say about penalties and how the best teams in the league manage them:
"While teams aren’t the entities actually making the flag decisions themselves (barring a coach’s challenge), they do hold real power in their ability to avoid and/or generate flags. The sport’s savviest leaders enforce clean technique to avoid penalties, not to mention take advantage of opponent tendencies in getting whistled."
There is no doubt that Dallas has had one of the more talented rosters in the league over the last five years. They won 12 games three times under Mike McCarthy, but leading the league in penalties and yardage prevented them from taking that next step.
The Dallas Cowboys must cut back on penalties to be a real contender
According to PFF’s charting, no team in the NFL had more defensive penalties on third and fourth down than the Cowboys (272) since 2021.
Those penalties are particularly harmful as most defensive penalties (holding, pass interference, roughing the passer) are automatic first downs for the offense. Those types of penalties can often shift outcomes and the difference between making the postseason and not.
Unfortunately, Brian Schottenheimer was not able to correct any of the previous regime's mistakes as the Cowboys had the most penalties (133) in the league last season. It was an issue that plagued Mike McCarthy, and it continued to be a huge problem under Schottenheimer.
Do the Cowboys have a penalty culture? Maybe, but that’s hard to say for sure. Is there a chance that referees have a bias against Dallas? I suppose it’s possible, as the referees are human and everyone has their own subliminal biases. But the more likely explanation is that the previous two coaching staffs haven’t put enough emphasis on cutting back on penalties.
One way to cut back on penalties is to bench or cut players who are more prone to earning flags. But that’s not really in the Cowboys’ DNA, as they have always prioritized talent. A good example would be the starting guards in Dallas (Tyler Smith, Tyler Booker), who combined for 12 penalties last season. Dallas obviously isn't going to cut or bench either player, so there aren’t a ton of repercussions for mistakes.
Another example would be someone like George Pickens, who led the team in penalties last year with seven. He was called for offensive pass interference three times last season, but the Cowboys are obviously content with the calls because of his production and ability to draw calls. No receiver in the NFL drew more defensive pass interference calls than Pickens in 2025.
There is a delicate line when it comes to penalties in the NFL. Coaches want players to play freely without overthinking. But it can’t be so reckless that it is costing the team. However, Schottenheimer has to find a way to clean up some of the penalties, especially on key downs on defense, if the Cowboys want to have any hopes of making the playoffs in 2026.
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