Schotty Ball: How Brian Schottenheimer is approaching his big shot - Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
Schottenheimer is implementing his vision for the Dallas Cowboys.
From passing out Whataburger to every employee at The Star in Frisco to taking players out for dinner to free throw shooting competitions in the team meeting room, Schottenheimer believes at his core that the camaraderie built now will lead to the success the Cowboys have been longing for.
“I was taught at a young age by my father that you can outwork people in this business. You don’t belong in this organization if you don’t value relationships,” Schottenheimer said.
“This business has never been about Xs and Os. It’s about people, and when I thought about it, I can’t imagine sitting up here with a better group of people, a better family to do this with. So I thank you guys for that opportunity.”
For Schottenheimer, there’s so much more to football than what happens on the gridiron. He wants to ensure his players know he understands their jobs operate as a two-way street.
“I’m going to support them and talk to them and, ‘Hey, what do you need from me? What can I be doing for you? Hey, I’d love to have you here for this. If you can’t be here, I get it. It’s all voluntary.’ I think people do well with very clear, bright lines,” Schottenheimer said.
“If I’m calling a player and begging him to come, but yet I don’t take the time to go and support him at a foundation event or go take him to dinner, then do I really have what’s in their best interest? If our players ever say I don’t have their best interest, then I’m not doing my job, and I’m not being authentic to myself.”
While some may shrug off the importance of relationship building and making the effort to connect with players, it’s clearly working.
Cowboys RB room may have surprise candidate to start in $18.7 million reclamation - Ben Grimaldi, Cowboys Wire
Could Miles Sanders end up being RB1 when the season starts?
The veteran RB has impressed the coaching staff and practice observers during the recent rounds of OTAs. Brian Schottenheimer spoke highly of the free agent pickup and says no one should be surprised by Sanders’ play.
Brian Schottenheimer on new Cowboys RB Miles Sanders: "I don't know why anyone would be surprised by Miles' ability. Having been in the division and playing against Miles when he was in Philadelphia, you talk about a guy that's a home run threat, a guy that's got incredible…
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) June 3, 2025
That’s high praise. With Schottenheimer looking for playmakers and a RB who excels out of the backfield as a receiver, Sanders looks like he’s got a legitimate shot at becoming the starter. There wasn’t much fanfare when Sanders signed with the Cowboys, but he could wind up playing a big role in the offense.
Schottenheimer’s right; no one should be shocked about Sanders’ ability. The former Philadelphia Eagle has had the most success of anyone currently on the Cowboys’ roster as the only RB in Dallas with a 1,000-yard season under his belt. The recently turned 28-year-old runner is also the only double-digit touchdown scorer in the team’s backfield. In 2022, Sanders ran for a career high 1,269 yards and 11 scores on his way to a Pro Bowl selection.
Trend shows Dak Prescott has a big season when coming off an injury-plagued one - Brian Martin, Blogging The Boys
If this happens, the Cowboys will have a shot at making the playoffs.
Looking back over the past several years at how Prescott has performed after coming off of an injury-shortened season leads one to believe the Cowboys starting QB is going to have a really good year in 2025. How you may be asking yourself? Well, let’s take a look.
In 2020 Prescott only managed to play a total of five games due to a season-ending ankle injury he sustained that ultimately required surgery. The following season he bounced back in a big way throwing for nearly 4,500 yards (4,449) and 37 touchdowns, leading the Cowboys to a 11-5 record before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the playoffs.
Then in 2022 a right thumb injury limited Prescott to just 12 starts, leading to one of his worst seasons of his career. He threw a career-high 15 INT’s to just 23 touchdowns and 2,860 yards. But once again, he bounced back in a big way in 2023 throwing for 4,516 yards, 36 touchdowns and just nine INT’s, helping him to finish second in the MVP race.
Cowboys may have found their Jourdan Lewis replacement by accident - Jerry Trotta, The Landry Hat
Juanyeh Thomas has a shot to make an impact in 2025, but it may be at a different position.
Early reports out of OTAs hint the team may have found its Lewis replacement. While a number of players have rotated in the nickel, including DaRon Bland, none other than Juanyeh Thomas has seen a lot of burn at the position.
With Donovan Wilson and now Malik Hooker battling injuries to start OTAs, Thomas has frequently lined up as a starting safety in team drills. Despite that, defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus continues to moonlight Thomas in the slot.
“I don’t mean to sound cocky but I can play in any spot,” Thomas said, via Cowboys staff writer Patrik Walker. “So it’s just knowing, learning, every single spot. And when your number is called, you have to be ready. That’s what I take into account: whenever my number is called, I’ve got to be ready to go in at corner, nickel, or safety.”
Murray may turn out to be an underrated offseason acquisition.
Murray is working at Overshown’s weakside linebacker spot in new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus’ scheme.
“I think it’s a great fit,” Murray said, via Clarence Hill of All City DLLS. “I’ve been enjoying myself, obviously transitioning over from being traded and getting up to speed and stuff like that. Lot of things work to my strengths, coming down hill, playing the coverage, stuff like that. It’s been good. It’s been great being here during the offseason program, getting around the guys and just trying to come in and establish a culture and get better every day.”
The Cowboys have Murray making the defensive calls over middle linebacker Jack Sanborn, who followed Eberflus from Chicago.
“I’m extremely comfortable with it,” Murray said of being the green dot. “I’ve done it the majority of my career, getting us in and out of checks, being able to decipher different things, different formation, stuff like that.”
3 biggest winners from Dallas Cowboys OTAs including veteran that's getting close to saving his job - Mauricio Rodriguez, AtoZ Sports
If Damone Clark finds his way the Cowboys linebacker room will have depth.
Clark’s path with the Cowboys has had its ups (17 starts in 2023!) and downs (benched one year later!). When Mike Zimmer became defensive coordinator of the team, Clark’s role with the team quickly declined. Now, it seems like things are going better than expected under Matt Eberflus.
“I think the connection that he has with (defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus), (LB coach Dave Borgonzi)—I think that’s important,” Schottenheimer told reporters about Clark. “I know most guys are that way, but I think Damone, he’s such a pleaser, he wants to do things the right way. That relationship that he’s developed with Dave Borganzi is incredible.
Under Eberflus’ one-gap style defense, Clark likely has less to worry about than he did on Zimmer’s. It sounds like he’s a likely 53-man roster player despite the limited participation last year that made it seem like he was on his way out.