Cowboys Target Schottenheimer To End Embarrassing NFC Drought

Thanks to recent revivals by the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions, the Cowboys' drought is suddenly twice as long as any other team in the NFC. Next behind Dallas' 29 years are the Chicago Bears, whose most recent trip to the NFC title game came 14 years ago in 2011.

The only teams with longer stretches than the Cowboys: Cleveland Browns (35 years) and Miami Dolphins (32 years). The Houston Texans have never been to an AFC Championship Game, but they only started playing football in 2002.

Give Jones credit for keeping the Cowboys popular and profitable despite a glaring lack of productivity. But gone is the pizzazz.

Enter ... Schottenheimer?

Of the list of official candidates to replace Mike McCarthy, he provides the least sizzle. Deion Sanders would bring an iconic ringmaster to the circus. Kellen Moore once threw for 435 yards in a Cowboys uniform, is close with quarterback Dak Prescott and led the team's No. 1 offense while here as offensive coordinator. Robert Saleh and Leslie Frazier are defensive minds the likes Dallas hasn't enjoyed since Wade Phillips in the late 2000s. Jason Witten is all-time fan favorite who's headed for the Ring of Honor and Hall of Fame.

But Schottenheimer? Now on Wednesday getting a second interview? Best known for being the son of the late, great Kansas City Chiefs' head coach Marty Schottenheimer, he has a lengthy resume as an assistant but has never been a head coach.

The 51-year-old has spent the past two seasons as the Cowboys offensive coordinator. He joined Dallas in 2022 as a coaching analyst under mentor McCarthy. His first NFL job came in Washington as QB coach in 2001 under his father. Since then, he's worked as a QB coach or coordinator for seven organizations.

There are obviously sexier names than Schottenheimer, but as of now he is the betting favorite and leading candidate to be the next coach of the Cowboys.