It might be a little outlandish for some, but Schottenheimer's goal for 2027 is to hoist the Lombardi trophy.
For most, hearing the Dallas Cowboys and Super Bowl in the same sentence feels like a punchline to a joke.
The franchise hasn't sniffed an NFC Championship game in three decades, but yet here we are talking about a Super Bowl?
That's what every team strives for, and only one out of the 32 teams in the league will be the ones hoisting that Lombardi trophy at seasons end.
But just because the Cowboys haven't been close to a championship game in 30 years doesn't mean they'll follow a similar path in 2026, right? Well, for some, that is foolish thinking.
However, inside the building as rookie minicamp got underway, the Cowboys aren't afraid to talk Super Bowl, and even head coach Brian Schottenheimer feels better talking about it as he enters Year 2 in the big chair.
“I've never shied away from it that, that's the goal, never will,” Schottenheimer said. “I'm more comfortable talking about it now because I do feel like this team is built to where I feel even better going into year two. Thrilled about the defensive changes that we've made, elated about how the draft went. I started that with the veterans as well. Super Bowl 61, February 14th, 2027, that's where we plan on being.
“That's a tall task, and we have to clean up a number of things that we need to improve on from last year and that starts with protecting the football and taking it away. It was proven this year by both Seattle and New England that if you didn't qualify for the playoffs the previous year, it doesn't mean you can't get to the big game.”
So, the Cowboys are looking at both Seattle and New England as evidence that if you weren't in the postseason the year before, that anything is possible.
Now, Dallas has the offense to make it to the NFL's penultimate game, but the defense, with Christian Parker, is the big question mark.
Yes, it's been all positive this offseason with Parker's hire, the drafting of Caleb Downs, and a handful of free agent signings; everything feels like it's trending in the right direction.
But until we see this unit in real NFL action, many are unsure of exactly what to make of this version of the Cowboys.
Getting to and winning the Super Bowl has always been the goal, but will this be the year the franchise has a genuine chance to break that drought?