Brian Schottenheimer, 51, waited a long time for his first head coaching job. He was an NFL assistant for 25 years before the Cowboys named him their head coach, allowing him to follow his father into a top NFL job.
Schottenheimer vows that his new role won’t change him.
“I think I’ve always been someone that believes in connections, getting to know these guys,” Schottenheimer said, via Patrik Walker of the team website. “I’ve always been someone who’s been able to be demanding, and I’m pretty good at disciplining guys. I promised myself when I got this opportunity that I wouldn’t change, because I think I’ve seen too many people change.”
Schottenheimer has seen coaches change once they became a head coach. It did not go well.
“The guys I’ve seen change — I’m not going to name them — they weren’t very successful, and I plan on being really successful,” Schottenheimer said. “The reason I think I’ll do that is because of my values and my beliefs and how hard I work, but also because I’m going to be me and I’m not going to change that for anything.”
Schottenheimer moved things around in the locker room, moving All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons close to quarterback Dak Prescott among others — and has players sitting in different spots in the meeting room.
Prescott called first-round pick Tyler Booker on draft night and other veteran players stopped in the locker room during the rookie minicamp to welcome the newcomers to the team.
The Cowboys’ culture, Schottenheimer said, will be built on “family-first and first class and joyful.”
“In a business like ours, where I’m going to be judged, we’re going to be judged on wins and losses, and that’s part of the deal,” Schottenheimer said. “And believe me, no one wants to win more than me. No one wants to win a Super Bowl more than me. But at the end of the day, I’d not be doing my job if I didn’t make sure that both young and old players alike weren’t investing in one another.”
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