Note that Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer did not say if he leads the team to a Super Bowl title. That sort of caution is common among head coaches, many of whom won’t even utter the words “Super Bowl” for fear of some sort of jinx, like actors who won’t say “MacBeth” or “good luck.” Schottenheimer not only used the words Super Bowl but he noted what he would do when he coaches the Cowboys to a win in the Super Bowl.
“I’ve said this from the very beginning: When we get our Super Bowl rings, I’ll be getting an extra one for my dad,” Schottenheimer said.
Schottenheimer’s father, legendary coach Marty Schottenheimer, knew well the travails of getting a Super Bowl ring. He won 200 games as an NFL coach but never reached the Super Bowl, losing in the conference championship four times.
So it takes some gumption for the son of a tough-luck coach like Marty Schottenheimer to declare a Super Bowl title a matter of “if” and not when.
Cowboys Have the Personnel to Improve
Still, there is reason for Brian Schottenheimer’s optimism. His team had one of the NFL’s best offenses last year, a devastating passing attack built around quarterback Dak Prescott and the duo of George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. They have battering-ram running back Javonte Williams, who went for 1,201 yards last year and one of the best trios of interior offensive linemen in the game.
And the defense should (it’s a big qualifier there) be better. It ranked No. 32 in the NFL in points allowed, at 511, so it certainly can’t be worse. But injured players have gotten healthy, at least six new starters have been added to the mix–including much-hyped rookie safety Caleb Downs–and the Cowboys have one of the most exciting young coaches in the NFL on hand, new defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
If the offense maintains its level and the defense can improve even to league-average status, the Cowboys will be a factor in the NFC East and the playoffs.
Brian Schottenheimer Wants to Win for Players
Schottenheimer, who is popular in the Cowboys locker room for his truthful (but players-first) style said he is not so much concerned about getting his own Super Bowl ring. Speaking on the “Twins Take” podcast (via Pro Football Talk), he said he has a long list of players he wants to see crowned as champions next February.
Said Schottenheimer: “I want to win it for the people under my leadership. I want to win it for Dak Prescott. I want to win it for CeeDee Lamb and Quinnen Williams, for your players that put in so much, you know, hard work and the sacrifice that goes into what we do. You know, from us as a coaching staff, it’s the hours; it’s the mental strain of game planning. But for the players, they put their bodies on the line.
“I make no qualms that that’s the goal. The Super Bowl next year is February 14, 2027. We plan on being there.”
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