Bold Prediction Has Brian Schottenheimer Making Cowboys Locker Room Change

When Brian Schottenheimer took over as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, he made it clear that he wanted to build the greatest culture in all of sports. For him, that included trying to find different ways to get their competitive juices flowing.

One thing he did was put a ping-pong table in the locker room. While some might think this is simply done to give the players something fun to do, Coach Schotty hoped it would bring out more competition among the players.

As we get ready for the 2026 season, one bold prediction has the ping-pong table on the chopping block. SI.com's Connor Orr made 100 bold predictions ahead of the regular season, and predicted that the Cowboys would lose their table.

"A year after the incredible ascent of the Ping-Pong table, players will be reminded that these toys are a privilege and not a right," Orr wrote. "Brian Schottenheimer will pull one of the most important coaching levers available at his disposal, and personally pack and fold the Monarch Navigator table, wheel it down the hallway, load it into the service elevator and store it in a closet underneath the Cowboys’ training room, where it will collect dust for the next year and a half until fun is allowed again."

Would Coach Schotty really remove the ping-pong table?

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer on the field during practice at the Ford Center at the Star Training Facility. | Chris Jones-Imagn Images

There wasn't much noise made about the table throughout the season, and if we're being honest, there's no way that it had anything to do with their 7-9-1 record.

The problem for the Cowboys in 2025 was a lack of talent on the defensive side of the ball, and a defensive coordinator who never found any answers. This year, they're expecting better results thanks to the arrival of new defensive coordinator Christian Parker and an influx of talent on the defenisve side of the ball.

Schottenheimer will surely aim to keep things light in the locker room, while Parker gets players such as Rashan Gary, Dee Winters, Cobie Durant, Caleb Downs, and Malachi Lawrence up to speed.

As long as they live up to expectations and the Cowboys are contenders in the NFC East, the ping-pong table should be safe. If they start losing, however, then perhaps Schottenheimer could decide it's time for drastic measures. Kind of like when the Eagles nixed the positivity rabbit.

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