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Brian Schottenheimer Announces Big Change To Cowboys Locker Room

Originally posted on The Spun | By Andrew Gould | Last updated May 4, 2025 1:24 PM ET

Like most teachers, Brian Schottenheimer began the year by assigning new seats.

The longtime NFL coordinator will commence his first head coaching job under a bright spotlight. Schottenheimer replaces former Super Bowl champion Mike McCarthy following a 7-10 season derailed by injuries.

As he prepares for the 2025 season, Schottenheimer will look to stamp his imprint on America's Team. That process started with some musical chairs in the locker room.

On Saturday, Schottenheimer discussed changing locker assignments for some of his players. Those alterations include placing Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons next to each other at the center of the room.

"We moved some guys around," Schottenheimer said. "This year, I did, along with the help of the staff. They don't really get a say in that, but there's a method to the madness."

Schottenheimer said he had players sit down, stand back up, and move lockers during his first time addressing the team this offseason.

"Why? It’s a new year," Schottenheimer explained. "It's 2025. We'll do that in 2026. We'll do that in 2027 and beyond. When you start a new year, do something different. Change something up."

Schottenheimer will hope the Cowboys' injury report changes for the better during his head coaching debut. Prescott missed last season's final nine games with a hamstring injury, and an ankle injury cost Parsons four games earlier in 2024.

Prescott will return to helm the Dallas offense in his 10th season. Meanwhile, Parsons faces an offseason of extension talks entering a contract year.

The quarterback said last month that he's spoken to Parsons in the locker room about their leadership roles.

"Very confident in [Parsons] and what he can do," Prescott said. "Who he is and what he wants to is as important as anything. And that's in being a leader."

Despite tinkering with the team's locker-room seating chart, Schottenheimer won't fundamentally remold who he is as a coach.

"I promised myself when I got this opportunity that I wouldn't change," he said. "Because I think I've seen too many people change. The guys I've seen change, they weren't very successful. And I plan on being really successful."

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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