Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was replaced mid-season by Brian Schottenheimer as the team's central figure.

Now McCarthy, currently the Pittsburgh Steelers' head coach, expressed his thoughts about him ahead of the 2026 season.

During a recent NFL Annual Meeting stated that, “If there’s ever been a guy that’s ready, it’s definitely Brian Schottenheimer”. 

Schottenheimer was brought in as a consultant in 2022 by head coach Mike McCarthy during his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys. They had a close dynamic with each other during his coaching days.

When asked by ESPN's Todd Archer about his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys, McCarthy said, "Just some great people there. Really enjoyed working with them."

McCarthy was the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 2020 to 2025. Schottenheimer was appointed as a consultant in 2022 and later promoted to the position of offensive coordinator in 2023 after Kellen Moore's departure.

“I owe a ton in this business to Mike,” Schottenheimer said Monday during the NFC coaches breakfast at the league owners' meetings. “Just him bringing me here to Dallas as a consultant."

During his tenure, Schottenheimer and McCarthy worked closely together, leading the team to finish with the highest-ranked scoring offense in the league with 29.9 PPG and fifth with 371.6 YPG in the 2023 season.

The Cowboys also became the first team in the Super Bowl era to win 12 games in three straight seasons under their mentorship.

After leaving the Dallas Cowboys in 2025, McCarthy was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers as the head coach. Both coaches continue to speak positively and candidly about each other, showcasing a strong professional relationship despite being rivals on the field.

Brian Schottenheimer Addresses the NFL Annual Meeting on the Dallas Cowboys

Brian Schottenheimer attended the NFL Annual Meeting recently and addressed many questions, especially about the team's draft picks, defense focus, and roster gap.

"There’s some spots we would like to fill and maybe a starter or two on defense that we’re still looking for", he said, emphasizing the need for a linebacker.

With the Dallas Cowboys being aggressive in drafting rosters from free agency to college Pro Day, the head coach is quite confident about their pace and upcoming rounds of picks.

“We’ve got firepower going into the draft, and we’re not done,” he said. “We’re always open for business.”

The message is clear, and the Dallas Cowboys are far from finished. With a proactive approach, the team is all set to make more impactful moves ahead of the 2026 NFL season.

How do the Cowboys fans feel about the 2026 season? Let us know in the comments!

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Written by

Archana Ramakrishnan

Edited by

Kalp Thaker