Brian Schottenheimer Cowboys Head Coach: Michael Irvin Calls Dallas’s Latest Hiring a “Lost Opportunity”

The Dallas Cowboys’ decision to hire Brian Schottenheimer as head coach has been met with immense criticism. Whether it’s fans, analysts, or former players, nobody is excited about the Cowboys’ direction. Michael Irvin may be the loudest skeptic of them all.

It took Irvin a few days to officially comment on the Schottenheimer move. As Deion Sanders’ biggest advocate, he was disappointed in Jerry Jones not getting the job done. He echoed his initial thoughts during the All Facts No Brakes podcast with Keyshawn Johnson. Then, he expanded on what he saw as a pending Dallas downfall.

“I just thought we missed a great opportunity here to try to get back in the fight. I’ve used analogies… like Sears. All Sears had to do was not be rigid and move all of their equipment, all of their items, all for the book, and put it on the internet. They would have been Amazon. But they stayed rigid… the Cowboys are like Sears right now. The younger audience isn’t getting served.”

Irvin said both he and Sanders talked with Jones about needing to cater to the newest and next generation of Cowboys fans. Jones didn’t take their advice. Worse than that, Jones didn’t back up the talk he has given Irvin in the past when it comes to winning another Super Bowl. To Irvin, he’s being short-sighted with his money.

“I heard Jerry say ‘the money. Deion has a contract. He has a buyout’… I’ve [also] heard Jerry say a million times, ‘if you give me an opportunity to win another championship, I’ll write [as big] a check as I can write.’ The money would have been nothing. You’d have made all that money back up… [cause we’d have] got right back to that young audience.”

Schottenheimer has never been regarded as a tremendous offensive mind, a la Sean McVay or Kyle Shanahan. He has been around the NFL for 14 years but wasn’t considered for any of the league’s other seven job openings.

Sure, Schottenheimer could prove to be the right man for the job. However, his not being in the running for other head coaching gigs this offseason is telling.

Many people claim Jerry Jones strives to have head coaches he can control. They say he doesn’t want to share the spotlight or responsibility when the team plays well.

Those folks already knew they were correct, but Jones’ hiring of Schottenheimer proved it. His failure to put his ego aside is why Dallas hasn’t made a conference championship game in 30-plus years. And it’s why they, barring an incredible shock, won’t be going back anytime soon.