Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer looks on before the game against the New York Giants. Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

HOF Coach Gives Honest Assessment of Cowboys' Brian Schottenheimer's First Year

Originally posted on Dallas Cowboys on SI
By Randy Gurzi | Last updated Feb 16, 2026 1:17 PM ET

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer led the Dallas Cowboys to a 7-9-1 record in his first season. He was disappointed with missing out on the playoffs, but overall, believes the Cowboys are headed in the right direction.

He's not alone in that assessment, with Jerry Jones recently sharing his optimism for the team in 2026. Jones believes in Schottenheimer, but understands that the roster needs to improve. especially on the defensive side of the ball.

That feeling seems to be shared by Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy. The Super Bowl-winning coach was asked for his opinion of Schottenheimer, and he said he did well under the circumstances. Dungy added that Schottenheimer did the best he could with the team's resources.

"As a first-year guy, he did well under the circumstances. I think they just need to stay with it, keep flowing. I thought he did a good job with the resources they have."

Tony Dungy PRAISES Schotty's first season as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys pic.twitter.com/nn58G8atfu
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) February 16, 2026

That's a nice way of saying Schottenheimer won seven games despite a porous defense, which is a fair assessment.

Dallas had one of the more potent offenses in the NFL, scoring 471 points (27.7 per game). Defensively, however, things were a mess. The Cowboys gave up 511 points, which is an average of 30 per contest, dead last in the NFL.

Cowboys must fix defense to give Brian Schottenheimer a chance

Amber Searls-Imagn Images

A coach like Dungy, who was known for building elite defense, surely had a hard time watching the Cowboys this past season.

Their lack of a consistent pass rush received much of the attention, but there was really no area that stood out as a positive. Even after adding Quinnen Williams and seeing their run defense improve, the Cowboys still struggled in that aspect, surrendering 2,133 yards on the ground.

That's why fixing the defense has to be their top priority this offseason. Hiring Christian Parker as the new defensive coordinator and adding a fresh young staff were positive steps, but they need more talent if they want to compete in 2026 and beyond.

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

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