Brian Schottenheimer defines Cowboys’ culture with consistency, connections: ‘I won’t change’ – Patrik Walker, Dallas Cowboys.com
Brian Schottenheimer is changing the culture.
As the NFL offseason calendar speeds along, Brian Schottenheimer digs his heels in more and more as both a first-time head coach and the latest leader of the Dallas Cowboys. The latest tasks involved conquering his first NFL Draft and then welcoming a class of 18 rookies to minicamp, with OTAs next up on the agenda.
And, thus far, by all accounts, Schottenheimer is the same as he was when he was an analyst for the Cowboys in 2022, and the team’s offensive coordinator in the two seasons that followed — not changing his approach whatsoever to his players or coaches.
After all, building a culture starts at the top.
“I think I’ve always been someone that believes in connections, getting to know these guys,” Schottenheimer said. “I’ve always been someone who’s been able to be demanding and I’m pretty good at disciplining guys. I promised myself, when I got this opportunity, that I wouldn’t change, because I think I’ve seen too many people change.”
He went on to elaborate on the outcome for those who have, for one reason or another, opted to morph into a different version of themselves simply because they earned the power to do so.
“The guys I’ve seen change — I’m not going to name them — they weren’t very successful, and I plan on being really successful,” he said, firmly. “The reason I think I’ll do that is because of my values and my beliefs and how hard I work, but also because I’m going to be me and I’m not going to change that for anything.”
The Cowboys’ LB Room: A sudden position of strength – Mario Herrera Jr, Inside The Star
Oh, how the tables have turned.
Marist Liufau
One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the emergence of LB Marist Liufau.
After joining the Cowboys following a standout final season at Notre Dame, Liufau turned heads with his physicality, football IQ, and sideline-to-sideline range.
He got starter’s reps in 2024, even wearing the coveted “green dot” on his helmet as the defense’s signal-caller, and looks like a natural fit in the heart of DC Matt Eberflus’ scheme.
His ability to diagnose plays quickly and finish in space gives Dallas a new level of confidence in the middle of the field.
Kenneth Murray
Joining Liufau is Kenneth Murray, a former first-round pick who is hoping to find new life in Dallas.
Murray brings a rare mix of size, speed, and NFL experience, and after an up-and-down stint with the Chargers, he’s shown signs of becoming the consistent playmaker many projected him to be out of Oklahoma.
Not a good sign for Holden.
However, it doesn’t look like the Cowboys are preparing to give Holden a roster spot. In perhaps the most backhanded way possible, Dallas showed Holden exactly where he stands by giving him the same number as one of the most beloved players on the roster: Trevon Diggs.
Cowboys show Traeshon Holden he has a slim chance of making the roster
Shared numbers are common during training camp and the preseason so there is no need to worry about Diggs’ future with the Cowboys. Dallas giving his No. 7 to a UDFA to share means nothing about Diggs’ future.
However, it is worth noting that players who typically get shared numbers don’t make the roster most times. Of course, Holden would change his number if he actually made the roster, but it’s pretty telling how the Cowboys feel about him if they are giving him the same number as a fan favorite.
There is always room for Holden to put together an excellent camp and preseason to earn a backend roster spot. By giving him Diggs’ number, though, Dallas is saying the quiet part out loud that the team doesn’t believe he will actually do so.
It’s worth noting that not every Cowboys UDFA is sharing a number with an established player on the roster. Cornerback Bruce Harmon is wearing No. 36, safety Mike Smith is wearing No. 39, tight end Rivaldo Fairweather is wearing No. 45, tight end Tyler Neville is wearing No. 46, cornerback Zion Childress is wearing No. 48 and linebacker Justin Barron is wearing No. 55.
Eberflus has talent to work with.
Three of the unit’s four starters remain the same, as does the edict Eberflus has with their direction. He needs to continue to improve the game of Mazi Smith, continue Micah Parsons’ evolution into a team leader, and help Osa Odighizuwa further ascend into a difference-making, game-changer of a pass-rushing defensive tackle.
The loss of Demarcus Lawrence is significant in theory. For many seasons, he was the Cowboys’ best run defender and pressured the opposing quarterback at an impactful level. He was also the most clutch defender on the team, often making big fourth-down run stops. Comparatively to 2024 though, losing Lawrence isn’t a big hit as he only played four games last season; less than a quarter of the season.
Marshawn Kneeland, a second-round pick from 2024, was selected with Lawrence leaving a clear possibility. He is the edge-setting replacement now with a year of seasoning, while veteran Dante Fowler Jr. was brought back via free agency to further the pass rush to see if he can continue his late-career resurgence. The team also brought in another former first-round pick in Payton Turner, who dealt with injuries through his first three seasons in New Orleans to finally play 16 games in 2024.
It’s officially the Schottenheimer era.
Schottenheimer’s first draft has cooled those waters considerably, for now. The Cowboys front office has never wavered in wanting to use the draft as their main source of talent acquisition. Although this wasn’t expected to change under Schottenheimer at all, the team had to do more than sit on their hands and let players get away in free agency without signing new players themselves, and did so while also being active on the trade market. In their estimation, this was enough to go into the draft with a clearer focus on targeting the best players available, regardless of positional need, through all seven rounds. The Cowboys still showed preferences for the things their new head coach is seeking, like improved line of scrimmage play by spending the 12th overall pick on guard Tyler Booker and 44rd pick in the second round on defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku. They continued to target high character prospects from blue chip programs like Texas, Florida, and Oregon on day three with running back Jaydon Blue, linebacker Shemar James, and offensive lineman Ajani Cornelius.