The Dallas Cowboys have an ace up their sleeve in offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. Brian Schottenheimer has spoken frequently on the importance Adams has had on this offense despite not calling plays, and he's already starting to receive some early attention from those in NFL circles.
The Philadelphia Eagles requested to interview Adams for their offensive coordinator vacancy this offseason, but Dallas blocked the request. If Nick Sirianni wanted the 43-year-old to call plays for one of the most talented offenses in the NFL, that should tell you everything you need to know about him.
Even though he doesn't call plays, the Cowboys would hate to lose Adams. He's the architect behind one of the league's most potent rushing attacks, and he's been instrumental in developing Dallas' young offensive line.
The Adams hype is snowballing long past offensive coordinator jobs, as he's starting to be looked at as an early head coaching candidate. While going over 15 head coaching candidates entering the 2026 NFL season, Pro Football Focus' Bradley Locker named Adams on his list.
"Adams can fly under the radar among the abundant star power in Dallas, especially on the offensive side of the ball," Locker wrote. Yet his track record has only continued to solidify him as a rising stud... Dallas has all of the ingredients to repeat its elite offensive efficiency in 2026. A better finish for the team would only attract more eyes on the 43-year-old Adams, who’s also coached extensively in the college ranks."
The Cowboys may want to brace for Klayton Adams' eventual departure
Locker noted that in the year before Adams came over from Arizona, the Cowboys ranked 20th or worse in both rushing EPA per play and success rate. But Dallas finished inside the top 10 in both metrics last season, as Williams recorded a career-high 81.7 rushing grade from PFF last season.
Just seeing the night-and-day impact he made on a run game that was among the NFL's worst before 2025 should be all Cowboys fans should need to see to be convinced Adams needs to stay. And maybe he eventually becomes the heir apparent to Schottenheimer as the head coach down the line.
Adams was a participant during the NFL's accelerator program for future head coaches and general managers this offseason, so it's clear he's being seen as a rising star in the coaching world. But he's also an offensive coordinator who doesn't call plays, and those typically don't fare very well as first-time head coaches.
If the Cowboys can sustain their offensive excellence in 2026, don't be surprised if Klayton Adams gets head coaching interviews -- but seeing how much he loves Dallas, hopefully he's willing to stay and not force Dallas to find another OC capable of igniting the offensive line and run game.
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