Another failed season for the Dallas Cowboys has the knives coming out for the coaching staff, and one former Cowboy is aiming his squarely at Head Coach Brian Schottenheimer. Days after the team’s disappointing defeat to the Giants, a former member of the roster, Isiah Stanback, stepped forward to take the HC’s role under scrutiny. According to him, Schottenheimer might have managed to have an impact on the offense, but he failed to conduct the overall operations.

“When you’re the head coach, you’re responsible for more than one-third of the game,” Stanback said in a recent video on the Cowboys’ YouTube channel. “I don’t believe that he fully had his imprint on the defense as a whole. I definitely don’t think his imprint was there on the special teams unit. Regardless of who you have on your roster, that identity should still be there. He did not make the playoffs and did not show the character of the team through two-thirds of the game, so I’m B minus minus.”

While there was improvement on the offense, Stanback didn’t hold back on criticizing the flawed areas. The offense was indeed admirable, ranked top 10 in scoring, averaging about 27 points per game. Quarterback Dak Prescott threw for over 4,500 yards with 30 touchdown passes. However, the real struggles were evident on the defensive side of things. They finished last in points allowed, giving up more than 30 points per game. This was highlighted during their recent loss in Detroit (30-44 against the Lions). In fact, the team twice conceded 44 points in a loss throughout the season.

Brian Schottenheimer started his Cowboys journey as a consultant after joining the team in 2022. He was later promoted to the offensive coordinator position in 2023, then hired as head coach on January 24, 2025, replacing Mike McCarthy. His first season as the HC saw the team finish 7-9-1 and therefore failed to make it to the playoffs.

While some players had high tackle numbers, like Shemar James with 91 total tackles and Kenneth Murray Jr. with 81, those tackles often came after teams already gained yards. The pass rush was also inconsistent, with only a few players reaching decent sack numbers, such as Jadeveon Clowney with 8.5 sacks, while many others had fewer.

While the glaring issue that was the defense was called out, Stanback also had praise for the team quarterback, who had his 4th season with 30 touchdowns or more for the team (tying Tony Romo’s record). In addition to the scrutiny for the head coach, there was some real praise for the quarterback, Prescott.

“Dak Prescott earned an A grade for his season and was often the best player on the field,” another host, Josh Rodriguez, pitched. “His overall play stood out on both offense and defense, and he consistently gave the Cowboys a chance to win. His performance showed exactly why he is the highest-paid player on the team and a key leader for the franchise.”

Prescott completed 404-of-600 passes for 4,552 yards with 30 touchdown passes in 17 games. The veteran also added 177 rushing yards and two rushing TDs. He finished among the league’s top quarterbacks in yards and touchdowns, earning his fourth Pro Bowl selection.

Keeping these positives in mind, the team’s general manager, Jerry Jones, remains dedicated to a certain goal.

Jerry Jones makes his pre-retirement goals clear

The Dallas Cowboys have now gone 30 seasons without winning a Super Bowl. They are the only NFC team that has not reached a conference championship game since 1995 and have missed the playoffs in the last two seasons. However, despite the ongoing defensive struggles, the team’s GM, Jerry Jones, has one major goal that could add a legendary tag to the team.

“My goal in life is to retire as the owner that won the most Super Bowls,” Jones said during a press conference. “That’s my goal. To be retired in the NFL as the owner that won the most Super Bowls. We’ve got three. How many more do I have to go as a single owner? [New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft] has got how many? Six? So, I got work to do. Got work to do. But at least I’m up to the second rung in the ladder.”

Top Stories

Calls Mount for Investigation Against C.J. Stroud After Texans QB’s 5 Fumbles Against Steelers

Jerry Jones Announces Retirement Plans as Dallas Cowboys Owner Makes Triple Decision on Coaching Hiring

Sean McDermott Announces Concerning Josh Allen News as Bills HC Confirms Double Setback Before Broncos Game

Mike Tomlin Receives New Job Offer as Steelers Make Final Decision on Firing HC After Aaron Rodgers’ Fury – Report

Chiefs Officially Cut Ties With 7 Players as Patrick Mahomes Pays the Price for Offensive Failures

As Jerry Jones looks ahead, he believes the Cowboys still have pieces to build around, especially on defense. The GM believes defensive tackles Quinnen Williams, Kenny Clark, and Osa Odighizuwa are the strength of the unit, while linebacker DeMarvion Overshown is seen as a key player despite missing more games to injury than he has played.

Holding picks 12 and 20 in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys are set for a rare opportunity, marking just the sixth time in franchise history they will own multiple first-round selections, and their first such instance since 2008.