The decision by the Dallas Cowboys to hire Brian Schottenheimer as their next head coach seems to be hinged on one major factor — “control”. Albeit, and sadly for fans, it is not in terms of taking control of the immediate future of the struggling outfit. It is all about the control and power Jerry Jones could exert over Schottenheimer. Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson had a field day digging into this power move by Jones. They feel the Cowboys owner is unwilling to delegate for fear of losing relevance.
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Since Bill Parcells, who ended his tenure in 2006, all of Jones’s head coaching hires — Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett, Mike McCarthy, and now Schottenheimer — share one common trait: None of them would dare challenge the GM’s authority or decisions.
“We know why he got the job. It’s because Jerry wants someone he can control. It’s really that simple. I’m not gonna make it a black-and-white issue… Jerry wants control because he wants credit and none of the blame,” said Sharpe on Nightcap.
In what can only be described as scathing, Sharpe called the Cowboys owner/GM a “promoter” who isn’t eyeing success on the field. On the contrary, he feels Jones is more of a businessman who is happy just being in the news cycle. Ocho echoed Sharpe’s sentiment.
“Jerry wants to continue his reign with power,” added Johnson. “He doesn’t want to relinquish that power and he wants to be in control of everything. He hired a coach that will fall in line with just that. The results have been the same for years. Nothing is going to change until you get out of the way.”
Both Shannon and Johnson believe meaningful change will remain out of reach for the Cowboys as long as Jones is in charge. They see him as his own worst enemy, and his latest move stands testament to it.
Schottenheimer’s hiring is all the more questionable considering he has never held a head coaching position in his NFL career. One advantage he may have is that he has been in the Cowboys setup for the last three years as a consultant in roles including as an offensive coordinator. Perhaps, his familiarity with the players such as QB Dak Prescott got him the job.
It’s not to say he’s destined for failure. However, the odds are stacked against him. He could end up bringing offensive success. But, the lack of a winning culture and the absence of real authority to operate on could severely limit his ability to make a meaningful impact in Dallas.
