Things haven’t looked up for the Dallas Cowboys since their Week 1 loss to the New York Giants.
The Cowboys’ offense gained under 250 yards, and 69 of it was on the ground. On defense, they let the Giants have the ball for over 36 minutes and allowed nearly 400 yards in the loss.
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer is facing another 0-1 start to the season, and things appear to be trending in the same direction as last year. If that continues, Schottenheimer could be in big trouble.
Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer Could Be in Trouble
Bleacher Report writer Brad Gagnon shared his list of NFL head coaches and whether they are on the hot seat. Schottenheimer isn’t on the hot seat yet, but Gagnon did put him in the “warm” category.
“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.”
Last season, the Cowboys went 7-9-1 in Schottenheimer’s first season as head coach. While the defense was one of the worst in the league, his offense was in the top five in yards per game.
The 2026 season has gotten off to a much different start, with both the offense and defense being in the bottom half of the NFL. Poor communication and execution led to a rough start for the Cowboys in 2026.
Brian Schottenheimer Needs to Get the Cowboys Back on Track
Another slow start to the season is the last thing Schottenheimer needs as head coach. The Cowboys have typically been a bit more patient with head coaches and have given them a chance to turn things around.
Former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett had four of his 10 seasons end with an 8-8 record. Mike McCarthy had two losing seasons in five years with Dallas, with three of those years ending with a 12-5 record.
The Cowboys have a lot of work to do on offense and defense, and it will take time to get there. Schottenheimer has exceeded expectations early on, but that doesn’t mean that things are 100% great.
Dallas needs to get things right against the Commanders in Week 2 if they want to save the season. 0-2 starts are usually the death of NFL teams. Ultimately, it all falls on Schottenheimer to make sure he can get the job done, or that warm seat right now becomes much, much hotter.
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