Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer pumps brakes on 'GOTI' talk

Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer pumps brakes on 'GOTI' talk

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Aug 9, 2026 6:27 PM ET

At the beginning of training camp, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott dubbed their offense "GOTI" or "Greatest Offense There Is." Head coach Brian Schottenheimer isn't ready to call it that.

Brian Schottenheimer downplays 'GOTI' talk

"We've got a lot of work to do on offense," Schottenheimer told the media Sunday. "No, I hear it. I mean, we put it out there. 'GOTI,' great. I love it. I want us to be that, but you gotta put in the work to do it."

Last season, the Cowboys ranked fifth in the NFL in points scored (27.7 per game). Attribute the success to star players producing some of the best seasons of their careers.

Prescott, entering his 11th season in 2026, ranked third in the league in passing yards (4,552 in 17 games) and fourth in passing touchdowns (30). Fifth-year wide receiver George Pickens, meanwhile, earned a second-team All-Pro nod after finishing eighth in the league in receptions (93 in 17 games) and third in receiving yards (1,429).

Coach is not getting complacent❗️#DallasCowboys | @SeatGeek pic.twitter.com/ddBO83WW56
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 9, 2026

Let's not forget about running back Javonte Williams. After failing to rush for more than 1,000 yards in his first four seasons with the Denver Broncos, the 2021 second-round pick ran for a career-high 1,201 yards in 16 games, No. 9 in the NFL. This offseason, Dallas rewarded Williams with a three-year, $24M contract.

But that was last year. Schottenheimer, entering his second season as Dallas HC, knows defensive coordinators now have more tape on the team's offense, which will make it more challenging for him to devise another high-scoring scheme.

"Teams are studying us," he said. "We have to evolve. We have to be better. But I have zero problem winning games 3-0. Zero. I just wanna win."

The Cowboys won't be in many 3-0 games this season, especially if their defense struggles again. Last season, Dallas ranked last in the league in points allowed (30.1 per game). The unit should improve after it hired former Philadelphia Eagles assistant Christian Parker as defensive coordinator and selected highly touted Ohio State Buckeyes safety Caleb Downs with pick No. 11 in the 2026 NFL Draft.

For the Cowboys to snap a two-year playoff drought, the defense must take a step forward this upcoming season. The offense can't backslide, either.

Schottenheimer is reminding his team of that before Week 1 against the New York Giants on Sept. 13 (NBC, 8:20 p.m. ET). We'll see if his players listened in that NFC East matchup.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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