FRISCO, Texas — Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer will coach from the sideline again in 2026, and he sits in on defensive coordinator Christian Parker‘s game planning throughout the week. Schottenheimer confirmed both Thursday.
He brought Parker a blitz look during Thursday’s practice, one Dallas already carries, with a tweak that would make it harder on the offense. He also brought him a route concept the Dallas Cowboys offense has been struggling with.
Schottenheimer said Parker’s answer on the route concept changed how he saw it, and that he is not going to share what it was.
“Yeah, all the time. If I can’t get in there, he has a list of things from practice to notes,” Schottenheimer said. “But I learned a lot last year in terms of how to manage my time and be involved in all three phases. And there’s no question in my mind I’ll be better this year at that than I was last year.”
“And I’m not in there to second guess. I’m in there to, I showed him a blitz look today of something that we have that we could make a little bit better with a tweak, or make it, not better, harder on the offense by doing something,” Schottenheimer continued. “And it was a great conversation. He does that. And then I brought him in to talk about a route concept that we’ve been struggling with. And I said, hey, what about this and this? And what he told me, which I’m not going to share with you guys, what he told me was exactly like when he said it, the light popped on in my mind. I was like, he’s exactly right. So share information, help each other out, make each other better.”
Brian Schottenheimer Will Be On The Dallas Cowboys Sideline
Asked whether he will be on the sideline this season, Schottenheimer said yes.
He does not call plays. Offensive coordinator Klayton Adams handles the offense in his second season, and Parker takes over a defense that allowed 30.1 points per game last season, the worst mark in franchise history and last in the NFL.
Dallas finished 7-9-1 in Schottenheimer’s first season as head coach and ranked seventh in scoring offense and second in total offense.
The Cowboys’ 2026 Coaching Staff
Parker was hired Jan. 22 as the fourth Cowboys defensive coordinator in four seasons. Derrick Ansley is the defensive passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach. Nick Sorensen is the special teams coordinator. Ken Dorsey is the pass game specialist.
The Cowboys open the regular season Sept. 13 at MetLife Stadium against the New York Giants. Kickoff is 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
