Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott talks with Brian Schottenheimer during training camp in Oxnard, California. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Dak Prescott, Brian Schottenheimer fail to crack top 20 of NFL's top QB-coach duos

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Josh Sanchez | Last updated May 29, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Dallas Cowboys are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2024 campaign with a healthy Dak Prescott and a new head coach in Brian Schottenheimer.

Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in a Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, which derailed the Cowboys' 2024 season, but the previous year, he was runner-up in NFL MVP voting.

There is no denying Prescott is among the NFL's top quarterbacks. Schottenheimer, however, is a first-year coach and unproven as a leading man.

Because of that, the Cowboys quarterback-head coach duo has some work to do to prove they are one of the top in the league. Matt Verderame of SI.com ranked all 32 of the league's quarterback and head coaching duos, with Dallas failing to crack the top 20.

Prescott ranked as the No. 13 quarterback in the NFL, while Schottenheimer checked in as the No. 31-ranked head coach.

The only head coach ranked below Schottenheimer was former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who led the Philadelphia Eagles offense during their Super Bowl run last season.

Combining the rankings in Verderame's scoring system, the Cowboys duo ranks as the league's 22nd best.

"The Cowboys are another team trying to revamp, promoting Schottenheimer from offensive coordinator to give him his first head-coaching gig," he writes. "He inherits a talented team but also one with many question marks, including Prescott, who is attempting to come off a serious hamstring injury. At 31 years old, Prescott was second in MVP voting in 2023 and needs to regain his form if Dallas has any shot at the playoffs."

It's fair to be concerned about the uncertainties in Dallas. When Schottenheimer was first hired, the Cowboys fan base was underwhelmed. While Prescott's recovery has gone well and there are no questions whether he will be ready for the start of the season, with a new and improved receiving corps, we'll have to see if the "energy" surrounding the team during OTAs translates to success on the field.

Everyone will be watching.

This article first appeared on Dallas Cowboys on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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