Brian Schottenheimer Confirms Cowboys Future Uncertainty as Locker Room Turns on Micah Parsons

When it comes to the Dallas Cowboys and coaches, history doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. Jerry Jones has not been the kind to give ‘trust’. Underperformance means the axe. Jason Garrett got the boot after nine years as the head coach – three division titles, two playoff wins, and a whole lot of unmet expectations. Mike McCarthy lasted five seasons, winning regular-season games. But the Cowboys fell flat under him when it counted most in the postseason. So, there’s a warning sign for Brian Schottenheimer: don’t buy Jerry’s sweet words. 

“He’s a gem, he’s a nugget that we rarely see [with] that kind of experience… Now, then he gets to try it, and he’s the coach, and this is the first time for it. I like those bets.” JJ said this about Schotty in July. But the good thing is the new HC is taking it with a pinch of salt.

For starters, Brian knows what he’s stepping into. The man with 26 years of NFL coaching experience, an impressive offensive coordinator résumé… So, a Schottenheimer pedigree seems like a steady push towards building something in Dallas. However, even with a reported four-year contract, he also knows that the NFL coaching jobs in Dallas often aren’t guaranteed for the full term.

“I think we’re all on one-year contracts in this business. At the end of the day, we’re gonna be judged on wins and losses. … If you’re good at what you do and you know how to capture your players and get them pulling in the same direction, which I think we’re gonna do a great job of, we expect to have great success this year.” Translation? This year’s results will speak louder than any ink on paper.

This makes sense, looking back at Brian Schottenheimer’s run with the Cowboys offense before he earned the head coach gig. Over two seasons as offensive coordinator, Dallas ranked impressively high in completions, pass attempts, big plays, and points per game. Yet, the team’s 2024 record dipped to a frustrating 7-10. They were plagued by injuries to Dak Prescott, Zack Martin, and other key contributors. Despite that, individual milestones shone through. Players like Rico Dowdle and CeeDee Lamb reached career highs, and the offense still showed flashes of brilliance.

Still, Dallas leadership knows that individual stats won’t cut it if team goals stumble. Especially with the glaring playoff shortcomings under predecessors Garrett and McCarthy. Both coaches enjoyed regular-season success but fell victim to the postseason curse, with only two playoff wins. The parallels to Brian Schottenheimer’s situation are clear: Dallas demands not just wins, but playoff breakthroughs too. For all the pedigree and flashes of brilliance, Schotty understands the clock is ticking. But if Schottenheimer’s future seems shaky, star linebacker Micah Parsons’ house of cards is teetering over cracks in trust and attitude.

How Micah Parsons lost the locker room

Unlike past star players like Prescott or Lamb – well-liked and locker room staples – Parsons found himself isolated. His contract saga echoed past slow-burn negotiations, but this time the vibe was different. Parsons rubbed teammates the wrong way. He was perceived by some as “egotistic” and “self-centered,” as per Sports Illustrated, with side dramas sparked by his podcast even irking QB Dak Prescott.

The ripple effect went beyond personalities. Parsons’ aggressive playstyle led to struggles in run defense, frustrating coaches who saw a mismatch in discipline versus highlight-reel plays. The Cowboys’ initial $40 million-plus per year offer, aiming to lock him in for five or six years, was rejected by Parsons’ camp. That refusal escalated tensions, changing the negotiation dynamic. When he formally requested a trade, the front office entertained calls – Green Bay most notably – while holding firm to see how things unraveled in camp. Micah said it bluntly after the trade: “If I feel like you can’t be around me because you’re not on go, too, we probably shouldn’t be friends or probably be in the same room.”

This fractured relationship culminated in the blockbuster Parsons trade to the Packers. For all his on-field genius, his locker room standing and fractured trust with management mattered as much in Dallas’ decision. Brian Schottenheimer, meanwhile, has had to contend with this turbulence on and off the field as he attempts to steer the Cowboys through yet another pivotal, unpredictable season.