Last season was up and down for Schottenheimer, but what is he expecting heading into Year 2 in the big silver and blue chair?
Brian Schottenheimer's first year as an NFL head coach with the Dallas Cowboys was a little inconsistent.
The 7-9-1 record saw Dallas miss the postseason despite having one of the best offenses in football under Schotty's guidance, and he dealt with several issues, including benching George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb to start the Las Vegas Raiders game.
Then there was the tragic passing of Marshawn Kneeland, which he led the franchise through. Also, the Micah Parsons trade just before the season as well.
So, there was a lot going on both on and off the field for Schottenheimer to deal with, and for a first-time head coach, he managed to keep his head above water.
We often hear of the "second-year leap" players make after their rookie season, but we don't talk about it for head coaches entering their second season.
So, for Schottenheimer, what does a second-year leap look like for him?
"It's obviously going to start with more wins, getting the culture to continue to grow," Schottenheimer said. "The culture has been really fun to create because you got a lot of new faces, and we certainly weren't expecting as many changes on the defensive staff that we ended up making.
"At the end of the day, it's going to come down to wins and losses. I feel much more comfortable in year two. I think I've got my hands around more of the things that I want to and I've also been able to really do a after-action report on myself and making little tweaks throughout, and just much more comfortable."
Schottenheimer is right, it will ultimately be about wins and losses.
With the changes made both on and off the field defensively, many people are bullish on the Cowboys in 2026, with most expecting the offense to be among the NFL's elite again.
But Schottenheimer is the head coach, so he's got to be across the whole team, not just one phase, which, by all accounts, he's doing far better this offseason.
There's no denying that Schottenheimer was a fine head coach in 2025, but the lack of touchdowns in the red zone in the second half of the year, plus leading the league in penalties, means there's a lot he can be better at.
What will Schotty's second-year leap look like? Cowboys fans hope a return to the playoffs.
