When the Cowboys elevated Brian Schottenheimer to head coach in January 2025, many around the league questioned whether he’d even make it to the season’s midpoint.

He was coming off a long run as an assistant and coordinator, but had never led a team at the highest level.

Fast forward nearly a year: despite early stumbles and a defense that ranks among the worst in the NFL statistically, the “hot seat” chatter has softened. Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean Schottenheimer is out of the woods.

The panic has subsided, for now

The early portion of the season featured a brutal 44-24 loss to the Denver Broncos that had many calling the Cowboys‘ new regime a disaster.

After the game, Schottenheimer didn’t mince words: “There will be changes…No one is pleased. No one is happy with the way we played yesterday. It’s not acceptable.”

Schottenheimer has made a point of rebuilding culture within the organization. He’s reshuffled lockerroom seating, moved veteran players around, and stressed that relationships, not just playbooks, matter.

“I’ve always been someone that believes in connections,” he said this spring.

NFL insider Eric Mangini recently observed back in July: “I think people are underestimating what Brian can do.”

Mangini noted Schottenheimer‘s history as an offensive coordinator who ran systems that challenged defenses with shifts, motion, and varying formations.

That endorsement may help explain why some evaluators like Brian Gagnon have moved him off the “hot seat” list, at least for now. This recent evaluation of all NFL head coaches slotted him outside the immediate danger zone.

Schottenheimer has been placed in the secondsafest tier (often labeled “firstyear cool” or similar), rather than among coaches facing serious risk.

One key reason: Schottenheimer orchestrated a postbye threegame winning streak that moved the Cowboys back into the playoff picture, a run that reportedly “bought him extra time.”

Culture-building and leadership style

Beyond wins and losses, Schottenheimer seems intent on establishing a disciplined, connected team culture.

He has spoken about maintaining personal authenticity and building relationships with players, “getting to know these guys” individually, staying engaged during drills, and keeping consistent expectations for both young and veteran players.

That emphasis on unity and communication resonates in a locker room that likely appreciated the familiarity and continuity he brought after the previous coaching shakeups.

Yes, the Cowboys‘ defense has been a glaring problem this season. Through 13 games, the unit ranked near the bottom of the league in both yards and points allowed per play.

Now in second place, the Cowboys have slowly begun to show their strength under Schottenheimer.

Given that it’s his first year, that the offense remains a relative strength, and that he’s showing signs of adaptability, the front office and much of the media appear willing to wait before making judgments.