DALLAS — Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer is the pick for NFL Coach of the Year in a survey of league executives and scouts that ESPN published Tuesday morning. Jeremy Fowler wrote that the race carried no runaway favorite and called Schottenheimer a bit of a wild card.
Schottenheimer has acquitted himself well behind the scenes in Dallas and has most of what he needs to win, Fowler wrote.
The Dallas Cowboys finished 7-9-1 last season and missed the playoffs for a second straight year. The offense averaged 391.9 yards a game, second in the league.
“I think Dak [Prescott] will have a big year, we know they can score and the defense should be much improved,” an NFC scout said. “If they stay healthy, they have a good chance to win the NFC East.”
Dan Campbell, Jim Harbaugh, Sean McVay, Kellen Moore, and Jesse Minter also received votes. Fowler picked Harbaugh in the same exercise a year ago.
Brian Schottenheimer’s First Season As Dallas Cowboys Coach
After the 2024 season, Dallas promoted Schottenheimer from offensive coordinator. He also took over play-calling, which Mike McCarthy had handled for most of his time in Dallas.
Dallas was 6-5-1 entering December. The Cowboys lost four of their final five games.
Dak Prescott threw for 4,552 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions on 404-of-600 passing in 17 starts. He ran for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns. Dallas finished second in the NFL in passing yards and fifth in passing touchdowns.
Two receivers cleared 1,000 yards. George Pickens finished with 1,429 and CeeDee Lamb with 1,077. Javonte Williams ran for 1,201.
The Cowboys scored touchdowns on 37 of their 65 red zone trips, or 56.9%, which ranked 18th.
The Dallas Cowboys Defensive Overhaul Under Christian Parker
Dallas has always let its people do their jobs, executive vice president Stephen Jones said Sept. 1 on DLLS Sports, though the front office holds opinions and has influenced coaching hires before.
“I like Dan Quinn, who came in here and had a lot of success as a former top coordinator and then a former head coach who had success,” Jones said. “But no, I do agree with you. Schotty did really control the narrative on wanting to really interview a whole lot of people for this defensive coordinator spot and really work through what he felt like would be the best fit and compliment to him as a head coach.”
“Schotty’s so authentic. He’s got so much energy. He’s real. The players know it,” Jones continued. “I think we had that with part of our team last year in our offense, which played at a very high level. It just never translated. Weren’t able to get the job done on the defensive side of the ball. And that was tough on us. And I do think we’ve made big steps with Christian Parker. And I think you can feel the same culture, the same DNA that Schotty exudes in that defensive staff. And I think the players feel it. They feel confidence. They feel confidence in what they’re doing. They feel confidence in how they’re being coached.”
Parker runs a 3-4 front in his first season as coordinator. Dallas hired him on Jan. 22 to replace Matt Eberflus, whom the Cowboys fired after a season in which they finished last in the league in passing yards allowed and gave up 511 points.
Parker had a vision for the players he needed, Jones said, and vice president of player personnel Will McClay, his staff, and Jerry Jones worked through who fit it.
“Will McClay and his staff and Jerry and I did a lot of good listening as to what needed to be done, who needed to be kept and who we needed to move on from in terms of surrounding the defensive side of the ball with the type of skills that Christian Parker needs to execute the scheme that he wants to execute so he doesn’t have to compromise,” Jones explained. “He’s been around a lot of great coaches in his short tenure in the league. He’s obviously young, but we feel like we did that, and we do feel like we upgraded and upgraded in a big way.”
“We just feel like we have that opportunity,” Jones added. “If we do that, coupled with our offense, and we can make the same strides on special teams to improve, we’ve got a great chance to compete for a championship.”
Dallas sent Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in August 2025 for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. One of those picks became Quinnen Williams, who signed a three-year extension worth $105.9 million during training camp. The other became Malachi Lawrence, the second of two Dallas first-rounders in 2026.
The Cowboys added Rashan Gary and signed Von Miller in August. Safety Caleb Downs went 11th overall and is the pick to win Defensive Rookie of the Year in the same ESPN survey.
ESPN’s Football Power Index gives Dallas a 51.9% chance of making the playoffs and 33.9% odds to win the NFC East, and it projects 9.2 wins. The model rates the Cowboys’ schedule the fourth-hardest in the league.
Prescott is 83-55-1 as Dallas’ starter in the regular season and 2-5 in the playoffs.
Offensive lineman Tyler Smith had thumb surgery and is expected to miss four games.
Dallas opens the season Sunday, Sept. 13, at the New York Giants. Kickoff at MetLife Stadium is set for 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.
