When Brian Schottenheimer first talked about “creating competition” earlier this offseason, most fans — myself included — assumed he was talking about position battles.
And he was.
But as we’ve come to learn, he meant something far deeper.
In his most recent press conference, new coach Schottenheimer revealed that the Dallas Cowboys are taking that idea of competition and weaving it into every inch of the building. From free-throw shootouts in the locker room to a hockey slap-shot challenge being cooked up in tribute to the Dallas Stars to the now-famous ping-pong table, the competitive spirit is alive and well — even when helmets are off.
That’s not by accident. That’s the blueprint.
The Cowboys’ official 2025 season moniker under Schottenheimer? “Compete Every Day.”
Not just in training camp. Not just on Sundays. Every day. Every room. Every moment.
And on Tuesday inside The Star, as noted by our Mike Fisher, a great number players wore the T-shirt with that slogan emblazoned on it underneath their uniform jerseys.
Whether it’s mastering a playbook, diving into a meeting, pushing your habits in your personal life, or just picking up a mini hoop in the locker room — the mission is the same:
Get to know each other. Compete with each other. Grow together.
It’s about relationships off the field and physicality on it — and you can feel that mindset taking root across the organization.
Maybe I'm getting caught up in the emotion of it all, but ...
Maybe this isn’t just your typical offseason optimism. If you’ve been around for the Jason Garrett or Mike McCarthy eras, you know this feels different. Brian Schottenheimer doesn’t just talk football — he communicates it.
He’s clear, intentional, well-spoken, and energizing. It's a youthful energy that's consistent and can't be faked. Every time he speaks, you feel it.
There’s a command and a presence when he’s at the podium that hits different. ... maybe in part because he doesn't stand at the podium in his press briefings. Rather, he sits, at a small table, not unlike the ones the reporters sit at.
But there is a mood ... one that makes you believe in the plan and want to follow it. That alone is a cultural shift Cowboys fans aren’t used to seeing — and it shows.
But more importantly, it's one you can tell the players already feel. And we knew this two months ago when Schottenheimer spoke candidly about how "half my day is spent" in the off-season.
Every team loves to talk about culture. It's something every coach knows and executive knows is important, they just don't always know how to create it.
As for the Cowboys, it seems like Brian Schottenheimer truly does.