It was not at all surprising that the Dallas Cowboys decided to move on from Mike McCarthy after the 2024 season. They actually tried to work out an extension with McCarthy, but reports claimed McCarthy sought more years than the Joneses were willing to offer, which led to the split.
While that decision injected hope into a dejected fan base, the hire of Brian Schottenheimer moved the needle in the opposite direction.
Schottenheimer will ultimately be judged on wins and losses, but he is off to a frolicking start in his first four months on the job. The vibes around The Star are overwhelmingly positive and that includes players like Juanyeh Thomas, who is loving having Schottenheimer at the helm.
Cowboys' Juanyeh Thomas says the quiet part out loud about Mike McCarthy, Brian Schottenheimer
Fun again. pic.twitter.com/w7c5xmZ45M
— Juanyeh Thomas (@STG_Yeh1) May 24, 2025
You don't have to dig very deep to translate Thomas' message.
Thomas is clearly having "fun" playing football again under Schottenheimer. Does that mean he did not enjoy the game during McCarthy's tenure? That is hard to say, but the post all but confirms that Schottenheimer was being truthful when he said he's a "relationship-first" coach.
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The third-year defensive back is not the only player who feels this way about Schottenheimer. Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown replied to Thomas' post saying, "I told y'all."
It is apparent that Schottenheimer is building a culture. Players have raved about the energy on the field during OTAs. That includes new wide receiver George Pickens.
“Energy,” Pickens said about what stands out, via Nick Harris of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram. “This is a business, where a guy like coach Schotty, he’s going to bring the energy every day. No matter what the energy is, he’s going to bring it.”
The time will come to critique Schottenheimer's X's and O's as a play-caller, but getting that buy-in up and down the roster is a pivotal first step. It seems the first-year head coach is acing that test with flying colors.
That isn't to say Mike McCarthy did not install a winning culture in Dallas. The team was markedly more consistent under McCarthy relative to Jason Garrett. However, something was clearly off during the end of his tenure, even if he didn't fully lose the locker room.
Maybe it was his laid-back practices. Maybe he didn't bring the same energy day in and day out. Whatever the case, Thomas' post just confirms a change was needed.