Cowboys Brian Schottenheimer Not on Hot Seat, But It's Warming Up Fast

After going 7-9-1 during his first season as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Brian Schottenheimer seemed to get a pass. The blame fell primarily on defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, who was fired after just one season.

Schottenheimer replaced Eberflus with Christian Parker, who brought plenty of hope due to his track record as a defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator. Unfortunately, his debut couldn't have gone much worse than it did in Week 1 against the New York Giants.

Their inability to stop New York throughout the day threw cold water on the Parker hype, and it might have put Schottenheimer under the microscope. Barring a drastic change with the performance of their defense, the Cowboys could be in danger of facing another losing season and Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon believes that could put him on the hot seat. For now, however, Gagnon says the seat in Dallas is "warm" for Coach Schotty.

"The Joneses have actually given head coaches long leashes dating back to the end of the Dave Campo era. Jerry might be losing patience, though. They could blow it all up if Schottenheimer posts a second straight losing season in 2026," Gagnon wrote.

Is Brian Schottenheimer's seat really "warming up?"

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on during the game between the Cowboys and the Saints. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gagnon is right in pointing out that Jerry and Stephen Jones have been patient with head coaches in the past. The most frustrating example was seen throughout Jason Garrett's tenure as the front office continued to work with Garrett despite seeing him go 8-8 in four consecutive seasons. Garrett also failed to win much in the postseason, going 2-3 during his 10-year tenure.

Jerry Jones was steadfast in his faith in Garrett and even seemed reluctant to move on following an 8-8 campaign in 2019. Eventually, they said goodbye and went with Mike McCarthy as his replacement.

McCarthy had more success in the regular season, but was 1-3 in the playoffs. Once Dallas moved on from McCarthy, they selected Schottenheimer as his replacement, promoting him from offensive coordinator.

The pick was widely criticized and despite his engaging personality, Schottenheimer's record is now 7-10-1 and his team has been awful on defense. Pointing the finger at the defensive coordinator only works for so long. Eventually, Schottenheimer will be the one who has to face the music, which is why it seems fair to say he's inching closer to the hot seat.

Of course, the real question is whether Jones will see it this way. He has operated with more urgency than he has in the past, but he's determined to find a coach no one saw coming. That's why he was patient to a fault with Garrett and also why fans should expect the same with Schottenheimer even if they can't get the defense on track.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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