Jerry Jones Has Fired One Cowboys Coach Midseason ... Could He Do It Again?

FRISCO - Jerry Jones has owned the Dallas Cowboys for 37 years, and during that time, he's fired exactly one head coach in the middle of a season.

With Brian Schottenheimer facing growing criticism following a 2-4 start, that history is suddenly worth revisiting.

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The only coach Jones has dismissed during a season was Wade Phillips, who lost his job Nov. 8, 2010, after the Cowboys opened 1-7.

The final straw? An embarrassing 45-7 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

Jones promoted offensive coordinator Jason Garrett to interim head coach, and Dallas responded by going 5-3 over its final eight games.

But here's what makes that decision particularly relevant today: Jones later admitted he regretted firing Phillips before the season ended.

"I changed coaches in the season with Wade and have always regretted it," Jones said in Nov. 2024 while discussing Mike McCarthy's future.

He also acknowledged regretting his decision to dismiss Chan Gailey after just two seasons, explaining that coaches need sufficient time to establish their programs.

That philosophy could provide Schottenheimer some protection as the Cowboys navigate another disappointing season.

Dallas fell to 2-4 following Sunday's 23-13 loss to Green Bay, dropping Schottenheimer's overall record to 10-13 in his second season.

The offense, featuring Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, has struggled to consistently produce despite substantial investment in its personnel.

And questions about the coaching staff are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

Still, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones publicly defended Schottenheimer on Monday.

"Absolutely," Jones said when asked whether ownership maintained confidence in its head coach.

"There's not any question in Jerry's and my mind," he added.

Schottenheimer has also acknowledged the team's failures, accepting responsibility for turnovers, execution problems and breakdowns at the line of scrimmage.

But Jones' history suggests an important distinction between a coach facing criticism and one actually facing an immediate dismissal.

Even during Dallas' disappointing 2024 season, Jones resisted replacing McCarthy before the year ended.

And although Garrett's interim success in 2010 briefly energized the franchise, Jones has repeatedly indicated that the experience didn't convince him midseason changes were the answer.

That doesn't guarantee Schottenheimer's future.

The Cowboys still have 11 regular-season games remaining, beginning with Monday night's NFC East showdown against Philadelphia.

If Dallas continues losing, the pressure will only intensify.

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But based on Jones' history, Schottenheimer appears more likely to face a decisive evaluation after the season than an immediate firing.

The bigger question might not be whether Jerry Jones will fire Brian Schottenheimer in October. It's whether he'll still believe in him when January arrives.