Brian Schottenheimer Sets Big Super Bowl Goal For Cowboys in 2026

Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer believes that if the Seahawks can a win a Super Bowl a year after missing out on the playoff entirely, the Cowboys can do too.

Brian Schottenheimer Sets Big Super Bowl Goal For Cowboys in 2026

Brian Schottenheimer (Image via IMAGO)

In Short
  • Brian Schottenheimer aims to lead the Dallas Cowboys to a Super Bowl victory in 2026, ending a 30-year championship drought.
  • The Cowboys have struggled in recent seasons, missing the postseason for the last two years and conceding the most points in 17 games last season.
  • Dallas has made significant changes, including hiring a new defensive coordinator and drafting key defensive players to improve the team's performance.

Brian Schottenheimer‘s only goal as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys is to bring the Super Bowl trophy back to Arlington. The Cowboys haven’t won football’s biggest prize for three decades.

Last time Dallas enjoyed a championship victory, Bill Clinton was the president of the USA. Coincidentally, Clinton showed up at a recent Cowboys presser to meet with his good friend and owner of the Cowboys, Jerry Jones, who nearly fell over while trying to greet him.

Perhaps it’s a good omen for the Cowboys, and they might make a Super Bowl run. But again, last season, in fact, and the last two campaigns, Dallas have missed the postseason. Schottenheimer remains optimistic because every year is different. And it’s not written that a team that misses the postseason a year before can’t win the Super Bowl the next season.

That’s a tall task. And we have to clean up a number of things that we need to improve on from last year. … But it was proven this year by Seattle and New England that if you didn’t qualify for the playoffs the previous year, it doesn’t mean you can’t get to the big game.

Brian Schottenheimer said via Jon Machota of The Athletic

As Schottenheimer highlighted, both Seattle and New England missed out on playing postseason football in 2024. Seattle signed quarterback Sam Darnold, and the Patriots appointed Mike Vrabel as the new head coach. In the final, the Seahawks prevented the Patriots from winning their seventh ring.

That wasn’t the first time it has happened. Five years earlier, Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl victory. Before that, the Bucs had not been to the playoffs for thirteen years. Dak Prescott is no Brady, but he has defeated the GOAT in the past, and the Pro Bowl was in the running for the MVP last year until the team collapsed.

That’s mostly due to the defense giving up 511 points in 17 games. It was the most Dallas had conceded in a long time. And Jones did not waste time firing DC Matt Eberflus.

Had we played a lick of defense last year, we would’ve had ourselves, I think, a real playoff run.

Jones said. (H/T: Sports Illustrated)

Jones poached Christian Parker from the Philadelphia Eagles ‘setup and made him the new head of the defense. Parker, one of the youngest DCs in the NFL, spent considerable time learning from Vic Fangio in Philly, and before that, he was the defensive backs coach in Denver.

Parker identified Ohio State’s Caleb Downs as the best defensive player in the 2026 draft. Dallas drafted Downs 11th overall. Then Jones traded with the Eagles and moved down to 23rd overall to select UCF alum Malachi Lawrence, an edge rusher.

After the first day of the draft was over, Jones, 83, hinted that he’s desperate to win his fourth Super Bowl ring.

I haven’t been living like it was a 30-year [Super Bowl] drought. It’s been each year, the opportunity. You would like to have done better, but we’ve done some good things around here that when I go to sleep at night I can hang my hat on that were good things over this last 30 years… In other disciplines, it isn’t failure to be second or third, or fourth. It is in the NFL.

Jerry Jones said via Machota

Brian Schottenheimer makes his stance clear about wide receiver George Pickens

Many thought that George Pickens would follow the same path as Micah Parsons after hiring the same agent who represents the former Cowboy. Pickens had played out his rookie contract, making him eligible for a massive extension. And he deserved it after leading the Cowboys’ receiver core with 93 receptions for 1429 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Brian Schottenheimer Sets Big Super Bowl Goal For Cowboys in 2026
Brian Schottenheimer (Image via IMAGO)

Cowboys COO Stephen Jones made it clear that they won’t give Pickens a new deal and placed a franchise tag on him. Emmanuel Acho advised Pickens to hold in until the trade deadline instead of playing on the tag, earning $27.5 million for the 2026 season. Pickens did not listen and signed the tag papers.

Schottenheimer is one of the biggest admirers of Pickens and believes that the Pro Bowler still can improve on his numbers from last season.

I just think where he can continue to go and grow is scary, because what he did last year was amazing. The more you watch the film, the more you see it. You’re just kind of like, ‘Whoa.’ It’s just different‘.

Brian Schottenheimer said

Aside from Pickens, the Cowboys’ wide receiver corp has All-Pro wideout CeeDee Lamb, Pro Bowl WR/returner KaVontae Turpin, and third-year receiver Ryan Flournoy. Dallas signed Super Bowl winner Marquez Valdes-Scantling on a one-year deal and drafted East Carolina alum Anthony Smith in the seventh round.

Also Read: