The Dallas Cowboys are unlike any other team in professional sports. They're one of the biggest brands in the world, they're most valuable franchise on the face of the planet, they have a treasure trove of illustrious history, and they have one of the largest and dedicated fanbases known to man.
When things are good in Dallas, the whole world knows it. But when things go south, Cowboys fans can be as unforgiving as any fanbase, especially when it comes to head coaches. So it's no surprise that Brian Schottenheimer is facing scrutiny with the Cowboys sitting at 2-4 and third in the division.
For starters, most fans didn't like the messy interview process.
Jerry Jones left Mike McCarthy in limbo for a week while coveted offensive minds like Liam Coen and Ben Johnson were interviewing elsewhere, only to eventually settle on Schottenheimer as his successor.
Following two demoralizing losses, morale surrounding America's Team could not be any lower, and patience is wearing thin. The 53-year-old coach is on the hot seat, and no matter how much the Joneses express faith in him, this situation is unlike any other hot seat situations around the NFL.
The way the Cowboys view Schottenheimer is very different from the way the rest of the NFL and Cowboys fans do, but it also makes for an interesting comparison when you consider some of the other names on the hot seat.
Brian Schottenheimer isn't the same as the other coaches on the hot seat
Let's just go over some of the other coaches who are believed to be on the hot seat.
- Nick Sirianni (PHI)
- Todd Bowles (TB)
- Jim Harbaugh (LAC)
- Shane Steichen (IND)
- Dan Quinn (WAS)
- Aaron Glenn (NYJ)
- Matt LaFleur (GB)
That is a lot of talent here. Quinn made a Super Bowl with the Falcons and an NFC Championship with the Commanders, Harbaugh has won a national championship and made a Super Bowl, Sirianni has a Super Bowl ring, and LaFleur has made the playoffs six times in seven seasons in Green Bay.
The best comparison to Schottenheimer here is Shane Steichen of the Colts, but he's been at the helm for longer and has done just as much (if not more) with less. And given Indianapolis just fired this general manager, it would be a surprise if he makes it through the season.
Many Cowboys fans would love to have a coach like Jim Harbaugh or Matt LaFleur right about now, even if things aren't exactly pretty with the Packers and Chargers at the moment. It's not just about the situation, but what a given coach is able to do with it.
It's also worth noting that there are a lot of Cowboys opponents on this list. The Bucs and Packers beat Dallas in the last two weeks, while the Eagles are next on the docket. These franchises have had a lot more success, and patience is wearing thin, so what is the excuse Jerry Jones is conjuring up?
Meanwhile, Brian Schottenheimer is wasting one of the most talented offenses in the NFL. He's had limited success both as a head coach and a play-caller, yet is still being given a long leash. Sirianni is two years removed from a ring, yet discourse about his future will not let up.
It goes to show you that there are levels to bad coaching, and that situations like this are all in the eye of the beholder. But seeing Schottenheimer mentioned alongside some of these names should validate the concerns about how things are trending in Dallas.
Brian Schottenheimer is sharing the hot seat with coaches who've had a whole lot more success than him. A mid-season firing is unlikely, but if the Cowboys don't emerge as victors of the NFC East in a shockingly bad year for the division, he should be gone after the season wraps up.
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