DALLAS — Dallas Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones emotionally defended his hiring of new coach Brian Schottenheimer in a press conference Monday, acknowledging that the previous career assistant Schottenheimer is a “risky” hire.
But Jones, who made his fortune as an oil wildcatter, said he “got here taking shots.”
“There’s some stuff to be had over there where not many people go,” Jones said. “This is risky.”
Jones’ pointed comments came as he sat alongside Schottenheimer at a press conference introducing the Cowboys’ new coach, a hire that was announced Friday night.
Schottenheimer will replace Mike McCarthy, one of the most experienced head coaches in the NFL. McCarthy and the Cowboys parted ways after the season, and Schottenheimer was a surprise candidate, despite being the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator the last two seasons.
Early buzz indicated the Cowboys might have interest in Deion Sanders, the former Cowboy who’s now coaching at the University of Colorado. Kellen Moore, the Eagles offensive coordinator who spent time in the same role in Dallas, was also said to be an early top candidate.
But Jones and the Cowboys pivoted to Schottenheimer, the son of longtime NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer. Brian Schottenheimer, 51, has not been a head coach before, but he’s spent about 25 years as an NFL assistant coach.
Schottenheimer was emotional Monday when talking about his late father.
“I know he’s looking down on me,” Schottenheimer said. “I know he’s proud and I miss him. But I know what he’d say. ‘The easy part is over. It’s time to get to work.'”
After Schottenheimer opened the press conference with a statement, the first question was directed to Jones, asking him why he decided to hire Schottenheimer.
Jones then went into a lengthy and, at times, emotional answer, talking about his years of experience in the NFL and the numerous discussions he’s had with prospective head coaches over the decades. Jones emphasized Schottenheimer’s lengthy experience as an assistant coach and how he grew up around the game with his father Marty coaching for several teams.
“We know what osmosis is,” Jones said. “And we knew what Schotty grew up around.”
Jones also commended Schottenheimer for his “deference” to head coach Mike McCarthy as an assistant the past two seasons, even when he had to “bite his lip sometimes if he didn’t agree.”
Jones then continued by defending his much-criticized hiring process. Fans and analysts accused Jones of not interviewing enough of the top candidates this coaching cycle. Jones has also been criticized in recent years for not taking enough risks to push the Cowboys over the top.
Jones said the Schottenheimer hiring is “as big of a risk as you can take,” pointing out his lack of head coaching experience.
But Jones said he likes Schottenheimer’s “baggage.”
“I like his baggage,” Jones said. “I like that experience [as an assistant].”
Jones called it “ridiculous” about claims he didn’t interview enough people for the job. Jones said he couldn’t make a decision on who should be the next Cowboys coach “relative to the number of interviews you have.”
Even so, he called the hiring a “thorough, thorough process.”
More from Schottenheimer and Jones
Schottenheimer opened his initial statement by talking about what he’s looking for in Cowboys players, and how he wants the culture of the organization to be run.
“To our players, you are the core of this program and we will focus on you every day,” Schottenheimer said. “A first-class organization isn’t just about the structure and the walls. It’s about the way we treat one another.”
Schottenheimer also said he wants players to be themselves.
“What I’m going to challenge these guys to do is let their personalities shine,” Schottenheimer said.
Schottenheimer’s success will ultimately hinge on the play of quarterback Dak Prescott, who is expected to return healthy in 2025. Schottenheimer’s supporters have pointed to his close relationship with Prescott, who attended Monday’s press conference in support of his new coach.
Schottenheimer made his view of Prescott clear.
“My vision for him is he’s one of the best,” Schottenheimer said. “And through the coaching that he’s going to get. through the hours and hours of time he and I will spend together, he’s gonna play elite level football. And he’s going to lead us to championships. And that’s because of the way he works, the way he prepares. This guy prepares different. He does. He prepares different. I’ll be coming down late at night and my eyes are bugging out from watching video, and he’s still in the building … we got the right guy. Working closely with him and these other players, we’re going to win. And we’re going to win a championship. Otherwise, why are we doing it?”
Jones was asked about the timing of the hiring and if he would have changed anything on that front. He pushed back on the notion that the Cowboys needed to hire their coach on any set timeline.
“If I’d had screwed around with clocks in my life, I wouldn’t get to be sitting up here,” Jones said. “One of the fun things about this deal is you get to start a new clock every time you line up for the year.”