The Dallas Cowboys are ushering in a new era in 2025 with the hiring of Brian Schottenheimer as their head coach. More than just a change in leadership, Schottenheimer’s arrival signals a shift in offensive philosophy that could have major implications for franchise quarterback Dak Prescott.
Schottenheimer’s Vision for Prescott
In his introductory press conference, Schottenheimer made it clear that his partnership with Prescott will be the cornerstone of the Cowboys’ new direction. The two have forged a strong relationship over the past three years, with Schottenheimer previously serving as a consultant and offensive coordinator under former head coach Mike McCarthy.
“Dak and I have an incredible relationship, just like I have an incredible relationship with all these guys,” Schottenheimer said. “Dak and I know how to push each other’s buttons. We know how to have hard conversations.”
Those hard conversations have already taken place, even in training camp practices. Schottenheimer recounted pulling Prescott from a practice after an interception, much to the quarterback’s chagrin. But it established a standard and level of accountability that both men appreciate.
“It was a great moment of understanding and appreciating that sense of standard that, yeah, we’re not accepting one play to come out. But my point [was], ‘Hey, where do I get my risk versus reward?'”
– Dak Prescott on his training camp moment with Brian Schottenheimer
Maximizing Prescott’s Strengths
Schottenheimer’s offensive philosophy appears tailor-made to accentuate Prescott’s best qualities. Despite the Cowboys’ revolving door of playcallers during his career, Prescott has consistently excelled in play-action passing. Since his rookie year, Prescott ranks in the top 10 in touchdowns and yards when using play-action.
However, the Cowboys only used play-action on 18% of their dropbacks last season, the second-lowest rate in the NFL. Expect that to change under Schottenheimer, who leaned heavily on play-action during his time as the Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator. With Russell Wilson at the helm from 2018-2020, the Seahawks ranked in the top 10 in play-action usage and production.
Of course, an effective play-action attack is predicated on a strong running game. Prescott acknowledged as much, saying, “We’ve got to get to running the ball, being a little bit more consistent on that. And from there, go back and look at the numbers. I’ve always enjoyed play-action pass, so just being able to get back to that.”
Elevating Prescott to Elite Status
Schottenheimer minced no words when discussing his expectations for Prescott. “My vision for [Prescott] is he’s one of the best,” Schottenheimer declared. “And through the coaching that he’s going to get, through the hours and hours of time that he and I will spend together, he’s going to play elite-level football. And he’s going to lead us to championships.”
Those are lofty goals, but the Prescott-Schottenheimer partnership has a solid foundation to build upon. Their existing relationship and shared offensive vision could accelerate the Cowboys’ transition and put Prescott in a position to join the ranks of the elite quarterbacks in the league.
As the Schottenheimer era begins in Dallas, all eyes will be on how he molds the offense around Prescott’s talents. If the puzzle pieces fall into place, the Cowboys could have the stability and potency on offense to finally get over the hump and compete for championships. And for Prescott, it represents perhaps his best chance yet to cement his legacy as one of the franchise’s all-time greats.
