After 25 years of quietly grinding as an NFL assistant, Brian Schottenheimer finally gets his shot. In just a week, he’ll step onto the field as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for the very first time. For a man who’s bounced around staffs and never really carried the “future HC” label, this chance feels like an unexpected door finally opening. But before Schottenheimer writes the next chapter in Big D, a voice from the past just threw shade his way.

Former Jets wideout Braylon Edwards isn’t holding back, saying that the Dallas HC cost him a Super Bowl. To unpack that, you’ve got to rewind to the 2010 AFC Championship run. Back then, New York had a chance to return to the big game for the first time since Joe Namath’s famous guarantee in ’68. As Pittsburgh defeated the Jets, Edwards pointed the finger at one man—his then offensive coordinator, Brian Schottenheimer.

In fact, Edwards laid it out on the Glory Daze podcast. “It’s about two minutes left in the first half, and we get the ball back on the turnover. We’re up 10 to 0. We’ve got the ball, it’s two minutes left in the half, and guess what? We get the ball coming out of the half. So we’re in great position. I’m like, I’m like, sh–, I’m about to go to the Super Bowl,” he said. He admitted he felt like he could have been the MVP of that game, but he believes Schottenheimer’s strategy shut the door on that dream.

And Edwards didn’t stop there. He doubled down with a jab that still stings today. “Our offensive coordinator, who I won’t say his name, but you can look it up, you can do the math on this. He’s a head coach in the NFL now, how I do not know.” That’s a brutal line, especially considering the Jets actually pulled off the upset that season with a 22-17 win over Pittsburgh in the regular season. Edwards dominated, hauling in eight catches for 100 yards, while the defense closed it out by stalling Ben Roethlisberger’s final push.

However, things turned quickly in the rematch. Steelers’ star Troy Polamalu, who missed the first clash with an Achilles issue, returned in the AFC Championship. This time, the defense prevented Edwards from advancing. He caught just three passes, with his first grab coming late in the third quarter. Though targeted earlier, he says Schottenheimer never drew up plays for him the way he did before, leaving him frustrated and sidelined in the game plan.

Ultimately, Pittsburgh took the 24-19 win, punched their Super Bowl ticket, and left Edwards with nothing but what-ifs. He bounced to San Francisco the next year, circled back to the Jets in 2012, and quietly played his final snaps without ever reaching the big stage. To this day, he pins that heartbreak on Schottenheimer. And now, as the Cowboys prepare to kick off a new era, his fresh start comes with an old reminder—his past mistakes aren’t forgotten. But how did Schottenheimer’s time at the Jets pan out?

Brian Schottenheimer’s Jets offenses

So back in 2009, the Jets brought in Rex Ryan from Baltimore, a fiery defensive mind who wanted toughness and attitude. But instead of clearing house, Ryan kept Brian Schottenheimer on staff with one direct order—’run the dang ball.’ With Brett Favre gone after one of his many retirements, New York used the fifth overall pick on USC’s Mark Sanchez, hoping he could be the long-term answer.

Then came Schottenheimer’s vision for the offense. He leaned all the way into a ground-and-pound identity, giving Sanchez a chance to settle in without too much pressure. And it worked. The Jets ended up with the league’s top rushing attack, while Sanchez earned First-Team All-Rookie honors from the Pro Football Writers of America. New York finished 9-7, slid into the postseason, and somehow battled their way to the AFC Championship game.

But with early success came sky-high expectations. Going into 2010, Ryan famously promised a Lombardi Trophy. Schottenheimer’s system again punished teams on the ground, and Sanchez started to find his rhythm through the air. The Jets finished 11-5 and reached a second straight AFC title game. This time, though, the dream ended in Pittsburgh, falling by just five points to the Steelers.

Yet by the following season, cracks started to show. New York endured a brutal offseason, watching Braylon Edwards and Jerricho Cotchery leave the receiver room while the defense lost leaders like Shaun Ellis, Jason Taylor, and Dwight Lowery. Losing that much firepower on both sides of the ball left the team thinner than ever.

And that’s when the run ended. The Jets stumbled to an 8-8 record, missing the playoffs entirely. Schottenheimer’s offense sputtered, especially on the ground, even though Sanchez put up career-best numbers that still stand today. Ryan decided it was time for a new direction, parting ways with Schottenheimer in hopes of unlocking Sanchez further—but that breakthrough never came.