Brian Schottenheimer is in his first head coaching role in the NFL, but what would constitute a successful first season for him?
There's no denying that Brian Schottenheimer's first season as an NFL head coach has resembled a rollercoaster.
After losing Micah Parsons a week before the season, to being 3-5-1, to the tragic passing of Marshawn Kneeland, then rattling off three straight wins over the Las Vegas Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Kansas City Chiefs, Schottenheimer hasn't had the smoothest first year as an NFL head coach.
Now, as Week 15 approaches and the Minnesota Vikings come into play for the now 6-6-1 Cowboys, many have an idea of what a successful first year for Schotty would look like.
Granted, there are varying thoughts on it, but would simply making the playoffs constitute a successful first year as head coach for Brian?
“I think absolutely, but I don't think that's the only thing we're judged upon, but that's what we want,” Schottenheimer said. “You can't sit up here and talk about winning World Championships if you don't make the playoffs. Winning is the number one objective. After that, it's building the culture."
After starting 3-5-1, then rallying in the second half of the season and making the postseason, that would be some achievement.
For most, considering the start, all fans wanted to see was some sort of improvement in the team, and over the past month, we've seen it.
We've also seen the weaknesses of this team, so make no mistake about it, there's still a long way to go.
"There's things that as we get through the season and the season ends, which it will end at some point, we'll look back and there'll be good things and there'll be bad things," Schottenheimer added. "The good things, find ways to keep those things going, and the things that we have to correct, we'll find ways to improve them.”
It certainly hasn't been an easy year for the first-time head coach, having to deal with situations many thought he never would have to, but he's guided this team through a dark time in the franchise's history and has galvanized the locker room and organization.
Schottenheimer thinks Dallas making the playoffs would make it a successful first year as head coach, but you could make the argument that, given what he and the team have been through, to be where they are now, that's a success in itself.
But yeah, playoffs would be nice, too.