The Dallas Cowboys are so aware of fan vitriol that they couldn't help but announce Brian Schottenheimer as their new head coach on Friday night. For those who don't know, a Friday night news dump is a common practice for those who want to bury a big story.
The timing of the announcement was not an accident and it came in the aftermath of myriad noteworthy developments around the NFL.
RELATED: The real reason why the Cowboys hired Brian Schottenheimer is sadly obvious
While the hire is the epitome of uninspiring, we don't know how Schottenheimer will be as a head coach. It isn't his fault he got the job. Direct all of your anger at Jerry and Stephen Jones, who effectively told the world they are not serious about winning.
The Joneses' hiring process was an absolute farce. Of the four candidates that interviewed, Kellen Moore seemingly was the only other one sans Schotty who had a real shot.
It seems that one candidate knew he wasn't being considered because he secured a new job literally minutes after the Schottenheimer news broke.
Cowboys' head coaching candidate Robert Saleh already has another job
Robert Saleh, who was the Cowboys' first in-person interview, has agreed to become the 49ers' defensive coordinator.
If you can believe it, Saleh was actually in the mix for the Cowboys' defensive coordinator job, according to team writer Patrik Walker. We didn't think Dallas was smart enough to consider Saleh for the DC opening, but Walker pegged Saleh a lead candidate.
Robert Saleh is a lead candidate for the DC role in Dallas, but the #Cowboys have to contend with that team in Santa Clara for his services — he and the 49ers having a pre-existing relationship as well.
— Patrik [No C] Walker (@VoiceOfTheStar) January 25, 2025
that's the latest there. https://t.co/DPOvnTrU0D
While Dallas convinced linebacker Eric Kendricks to spurn San Francisco in free agency last year, Saleh reportedly gave the 49ers his word ahead of time that he'd be their defensive coordinator as long as he didn't get a head coaching job.
Saleh helmed the 49ers defense for four seasons from 2017 to 2020. They were perennially an elite unit under his tutelage and his body of work propelled him into a coveted head coaching candidate.
The Cowboys have the best defensive player in the NFL in Micah Parsons and other established studs in DaRon Bland and DeMarvion Overshown. Their personnel is arguably better than San Francisco's, but it makes sense why Saleh opted to return to his roots.
Not only has Saleh worked under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, but he is familiar with the team's personnel. Returning to the Bay Area gives Saleh the best chance to restore his reputation after a failed head coaching tenure with the New York Jets.
We would argue that was more of a product of the Jets' dysfunction than Saleh's head coaching ability, but with his eyes set on entering the head coaching pool again in 2026, it's easy to understand why this reunion happened.
The Cowboys, meanwhile, quickly pivoted to Matt Eberflus, as their next potential defensive coordinator. Eberflus still has to interview, but he is widely expected to get the job after that process concludes.