It was an interesting first season in the big chair for Brian Schottenheimer.
Evaluating Brian Schottenheimer's first year as Dallas Cowboys head coach is an interesting task.
On one hand, the Cowboys missed the playoffs after a 7-9-1 record, so that's on Schotty.
But on the other, he oversaw one of the best offenses in football, made Dak Prescott a Pro Bowler for the fourth time, and got George Pickens his first-ever Pro Bowl.
Plus, he had to deal with perhaps his best player, Micah Parsons, being traded to the Green Bay Packers a week before the season. Then there was the Marshawn Kneeland tragedy that shook the NFL world.
So there was a lot going on for Schottenheimer in his first-ever head coaching job.
We have seen gradings by various outlets on Schotty's first year, and most are positive, but what about his quarterback?
What made Prescott and Schottenheimer such a dominating force from the outset in 2026?
"Just understanding how he's going to call a game," Prescott said on Sirius XM radio. "Understanding his flow and what he's trying to get done. Obviously, each week there's a new development or new situation that you're going to encounter, just to see how he reacts, how he responds, and whatever plays he's calling.
"It was fun, and he's a hell of a play-caller and a
great coach."
You can make the case that Schottenheimer was one of the better offensive play-callers in football.
Dallas finished seventh in points per game (27), but to start the year, the Cowboys scored 37 or more points in four of their first seven games, yet were 3-3-1.
Schottenheimer also played a huge role in the Cowboys finally getting a respectable run game with Javonte Williams.
The hires of Klayton Adams and Conor Riley helped push Williams to have a career-best season, totaling 1,201 yards and 11 TDs. Javonte was one of the best offseason pick-ups in football, alongside Pickens, who Schottenheimer managed well all season.
So there was a lot of good that Schottenheimer did in his first year with the Cowboys. While the season was a failure overall, we saw more than enough throughout the year to get excited about in 2026.
It is a crucial offseason for the franchise, and with Schottenheimer at the helm, Dallas has a competent head coach leading the way.