![Aug 26, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer on the field before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at AT&T Stadium.](https://media.nbclosangeles.com/2025/01/USATSI_21283888_168413586_lowres.jpg?quality=85&strip=all&resize=320%2C180)
Aug 26, 2023; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer on the field before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at AT&T Stadium.
Though several high-profile names were tossed around, the Dallas Cowboys have found their next head coach in-house.
NBC Dallas-Fort Worth has learned that offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, 51, will be the Cowboys' next head coach. Schottenheimer is taking over a club that finished 7-10 last season under Mike McCarthy, whose contract expired earlier this month after five seasons leading the team.
Schottenheimer, the son of the late NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer, joined the Dallas staff as a consultant in 2022 and held the offensive coordinator title the past two seasons while McCarthy was the play-caller. McCarthy took over those duties in 2023 when the Cowboys and former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore mutually parted ways.
According to The Associated Press, Schottenheimer was the first known internal candidate to interview for the head coaching job. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because no planned interviews were being announced. The first three formal interviews were with external candidates: Moore, who was Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott's play-caller for four seasons and is now with the Philadelphia Eagles, and former NFL head coaches Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier. Former Cowboys stars Deion Sanders and Jason Witten were also linked to the job.
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The younger Schottenheimer cultivated a strong relationship with Prescott the past two seasons and will be a familiar face for a franchise QB going into the first year of a $240 million, four-year contract. It's the first NFL contract to average $60 million per season.
Brian Schottenheimer called plays as the offensive coordinator with the New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks. His 12 seasons over those three stints were from 2006 to 2020.
Prescott had one of the best seasons of his career in his first year with the McCarthy-Schottenheimer combination, but the offense slumped early this season, even before Prescott's season-ending hamstring injury. Dallas finished 7-10 to end a three-year run of 12-5 teams that qualified for the playoffs.