Guest of the League
Friday Night Draft
FFL: Offseason | NFL: Championship

Cowboys, Brian Schottenheimer to talk HC job

Tue Jan 21 11:36am ET
Field Level Media

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer are scheduled to meet this week, with the longtime assistant viewed as a legitimate candidate to replace Mike McCarthy as head coach in Dallas.

Schottenheimer, 51, has never been a head coach at any level. The son of the late Marty Schottenheimer, Brian Schottenheimer served as an assistant under McCarthy the past three seasons. He joined the Cowboys as an analyst in 2022 and was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2023 when Kellen Moore was fired.

Moore, who joined the Los Angeles Chargers for one season and is currently offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles, is also a candidate in Dallas. He interviewed virtually with Jones last week. Former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh also interviewed last week.

Dallas reportedly is scheduled to interview former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera and completed an interview Monday with Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier.

The Cowboys have favored offensive coaches under Jones, who hired McCarthy in 2020 to replace Jason Garrett. Garrett was head coach in Dallas from 2010-19. He took over for Wade Phillips, who spent most of four seasons as coach and followed Bill Parcells.

Brian Schottenheimer has been an NFL assistant for more than 25 years. He did not hold play-calling responsibilities with the Cowboys under McCarthy.

McCarthy broke into the NFL in 1993 as a quality control coach with the Kansas City Chiefs, working for Marty Schottenheimer. In 1998, Brian Schottenheimer became an offensive assistant on the same coaching staff.

Top Headlines
The Paur Report
Player Notes
Dak Prescott Jan 21 12:30pm CT
Dak Prescott

The Dallas Cowboys are interested in offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer for their vacant head-coaching job, according to a person briefed on their opening. Dallas has only interviewed Robert Saleh, Kellen Moore and Leslie Frazier so far after parting ways with Mike McCarthy last week, but they will surely add a long list of candidates to interview. The 51-year-old Schottenheimer has been with Dallas since 2022 and has been their offensive coordinator the last two seasons. In addition to being the offensive coordinator for the Cowboys, he has run offenses for the New York Jets, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks while also serving as a quarterbacks coach for the Washington Commanders, Los Angeles Chargers and Indianapolis Colts. The Cowboys value continuity for QB Dak Prescott, so Schottenheimer will be a favorite for the position.

From RotoBaller

Caleb Williams Jan 21 12:30pm CT
Caleb Williams

The Athletic's Dan Pompei believes that new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson will likely empower quarterback Caleb Williams heading into his second year in the NFL after an up-and-down rookie campaign. Johnson gave QB Jared Goff authority with protection adjustments that not all signal-callers have while serving as the Detroit Lions' offensive coordinator, in addition to eliminating plays that Goff didn't like. Johnson was also a big proponent of going for it on fourth down, so the Bears offense should be much more aggressive under Williams in 2025. It's the main reason why Johnson was Chicago's top pick to be their next head coach. Despite plenty of weapons on offense in 2024, Williams was one of the worst downfield passers in his rookie season and had a 62.5% completion percentage to finish as the QB16 in fantasy. The addition of Johnson will surely make Williams a popular breakout candidate in 2025.

From RotoBaller

Anthony Richardson Jan 21 12:10pm CT
Anthony Richardson

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick in 2023, dealt with more injuries in his second NFL season in 2024 and did nothing to solidify himself as the long-term franchise QB in Indy. Richardson regressed as a passer, with his completion percentage dropping more than 11% points from his rookie year. In addition, his interceptions went up and there were questions about his off-field preparation, which led to a two-game benching in the middle of the year. The good news is that Richardson is healthy this offseason after missing the last two games of the year with a back injury, and he's already resumed throwing. His work this offseason with include refining his throws and throwing with more touch. Richardson will also be focusing on overall technique and plans to work with biometric expert Chris Hess. If Richardson can stay healthy and improves his footwork and throwing mechanics, he absolutely has QB1 upside in fantasy.

From RotoBaller

Justin Fields Jan 20 10:41pm CT
Justin Fields

Dynasty | The Colts have been linked to Justin Fields in free agency. Dynasty Analysis: Fields played relatively well for the Steelers before being replaced by Russell Wilson this off-season. With the Colts still not entirely sold on Anthony Richardson, this could be more than just off-season smoke. Regardless, Fields will look to latch on to a team where he could compete to start and his dynasty value may rise this off-season if he gets that chance.

Aaron Rodgers Jan 20 7:23pm CT
Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers had 39 of his passes dropped this season, which led the NFL in that category.

From TheHuddle

Dennis Allen Jan 20 7:20pm CT
Dennis Allen

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that former New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen is the leading candidate to become the Chicago Bears' next defensive coordinator, according to league sources. The Bears hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their new head coach on Monday, and Johnson has already been busy trying to assemble a star-studded coaching staff. Allen was fired by the Saints after a seventh straight loss on Nov. 4. He replaced Sean Payton as the head coach in the Big Easy in 2022 and went 18-25 as the head coach in New Orleans. Allen was also the head coach for the Raiders from 2012 until being fired four games into the 2024 season. He went a rough 8-28 as the head coach for the Raiders. The Bears must satisfy the Rooney Rule and interview a minority for the defensive-coordinator job, so they cannot hire Allen just yet.

From RotoBaller

Jared Goff Jan 20 7:13pm CT
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff led the NFL with 2,060 passing yards on play action passes during the regular season.

Fantasy Spin: Goff will be working with a new offensive coordinator next season, so it is not known if he will be able to have similar numbers in 2025. He should still have most of his pass catchers next season but is probably a No. 2 fantasy quarterback in most fantasy leagues.

From TheHuddle

Cooper Kupp Jan 20 7:10pm CT
Cooper Kupp

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp said on Monday that there is "no doubt" that he wants to continue playing in 2025. Kupp also said he "would love to be in L.A.," but acknowledged that he has no control over that. He has two years left on a contract extension that he signed in 2022 and will make $5 million guaranteed in 2025. Kupp was involved in trade rumors at the deadline in 2024. If the Rams were to cut him, they'd save $15 million in cash and $7.52 million against the salary cap. If they release him with a post-June 1 designation, they'll absorb $22.2 million in dead money. The 31-year-old veteran had the receiving Triple Crown in 2021 and was also named the Super Bowl MVP, but he had only 67 catches for 710 yards and six TDs in 12 regular-season games in 2024 -- he missed four games with an ankle injury. If he stays in LA, the presence of Puka Nacua will continue to limit his fantasy appeal, while he'll remain an injury risk.

From RotoBaller

DeMeco Ryans Jan 20 7:00pm CT
DeMeco Ryans

The Houston Chronicle's Jonathan M. Alexander reports that Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik is not in danger of being fired after a tough second season in charge of the offense. Houston's offense looked better in two playoff games, but overall they regressed in 2024 as they finished 19th in scoring offense and averaged 21.9 points per game (19th) while ranking 22nd in average yards per game (319.7) and 21st in passing offense. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has been non-committal on the status of the entire coaching staff since losing to the Chiefs in the Divisional Round on Saturday, although quarterback C.J. Stroud has endorsed Slowik. Most of the Texans' struggles on offense came in pass protection, as they allowed Stroud to be sacked 52 times after he was sacked only 38 times in his rookie year in 2023. He was sacked a career-high-tying eight times in the loss to the Chiefs.

From RotoBaller

Saquon Barkley Jan 20 6:33pm CT
Saquon Barkley

Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley recorded 1,328 rushing yards before contact during the regular season, which led the NFL in that category.

Fantasy Spin: Barkley has had an outstanding first season with the Eagles and came close to setting the single-season record for rushing yards. He will be one of the best fantasy players in the NFL as long as he stays healthy and will be a must-start option next season.

From TheHuddle

Cooper Kupp Jan 20 6:33pm CT
Cooper Kupp

Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp said he plans to continue his playing career and hopes to stay with the Rams but does not know what the team will do this offseason.

Fantasy Spin: Kupp was mentioned as a possible trade option around the trade deadline but remained with the Rams. He is one of the better receivers in the NFL when healthy and likely will be a starting fantasy option no matter where he plays.

From TheHuddle

Javonte Williams Jan 20 6:13pm CT
Javonte Williams

Dynasty | The Broncos are not expected to re-sign running back Javonte Williams. Dynasty Analysis: Williams just hasn't been able to recover from his injuries over the past couple of seasons and look like he once did as a promising young prospect. Williams looks like a player who has lost a lot of his explosiveness and Denver really didn't even use him that much this year, leaning on more of a committee than anything else. Now a free agent, Williams will likely look to get a fresh start elsewhere. His dynasty value continues to sink.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Jayden Daniels Jan 20 6:10pm CT
Jayden Daniels

ESPN's Adam Schefter said on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday that Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury is "not rushing to become a head coach again." A recent report suggested that Kingsbury will not interview for any head-coaching jobs around the league until the Commanders are eliminated from the postseason, and most of the head-coach jobs may be filled by then anyways. Schefter also says that he thinks Kingsbury is happy in D.C. and has an incredible young quarterback in rookie Jayden Daniels to work with. Kingsbury's head-coaching tenure with the Arizona Cardinals didn't go so well, so he may not be rushing to become a head coach again so quickly, especially since he's still being paid by Arizona. The most alluring head-coach job (if it's still open) for Kingsbury will no doubt be with the Dallas Cowboys.

From RotoBaller

Mike McCarthy Jan 20 5:30pm CT
Mike McCarthy

The New Orleans Saints are setting up an in-person interview with former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy sometime this week, a source told NewOrleans.Football's Nick Underhill. After parting way with the Cowboys last week, McCarthy has become a popular head-coaching candidate around the league and interviewed for the Chicago Bears' head-coach job over the weekend. McCarthy has history in New Orleans after serving as the team's offensive coordinator under head coach Jim Haslett from 2000-04. He then was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers before going 125-77-2 with a Super Bowl title in his tenure as the Green Bay Packers head coach. In his five seasons as the Cowboys' head coach, McCarthy went 49-35, but his failure in the postseason is ultimately what led to Dallas moving on.

From RotoBaller

Javonte Williams Jan 20 5:20pm CT
Javonte Williams

The Denver Gazette's Chris Tomasson writes that the Denver Broncos are not expected to re-sign impending free-agent running back Javonte Williams this offseason. Williams, a former second-round pick in 2021 out of North Carolina, entered the 2024 season as the team's unquestioned lead back, but poor efficiency on the ground led to the Broncos going with a committee approach in the backfield halfway through the year that also involved Jaleel McLaughlin and rookie Audric Estime. The 24-year-old came into the NFL as a bruising, tackle-breaking lead-back option for Denver, but since suffering a torn ACL in his sophomore season in 2022, he has not been the same, averaging just 3.6 yards per carry while combining for 1,287 rushing yards and only seven rushing TDs the last two seasons. Despite leading Denver with 513 rushing yards in 2024, Williams will likely struggle to find a lead-back role on the open market.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Hurts Jan 20 5:10pm CT
Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (knee) injured his left knee and was in the medical tent briefly in Sunday's Divisional Round win against the visiting Los Angeles Rams. Although Hurts returned to the game, head coach Nick Sirianni didn't have much of an update on the star QB on Monday during his press conference. After the win when asked how he was feeling, Hurt simply said, "I finished the game." Sirianni said the Eagles will know more on Hurts' status for the NFC Championship on Sunday versus the division-rival Washington Commanders in the coming days. It's unclear exactly what the nature of Hurts' knee injury is, but with trip to the Super Bowl on the line, we're expecting him to do everything in his power to be out there. We'll have a better idea on his status when Philly releases their first injury report of the week on Wednesday. In the Week 11 win over the Commanders, Hurts went 18-for-28 for 221 yards, no TDs or interceptions and added 10 carries for 39 yards and a TD on the ground.

From RotoBaller

Tank Dell Jan 20 5:10pm CT
Tank Dell

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said that it's too early to place a timetable on whether wide receiver Tank Dell (knee) will be able to play in 2025. Ryans won't speculate on whether the Texans will be searching for another receiver this offseason because of Dell's serious injury. In the Dec. 21 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the 25-year-old second-year wideout tore his ACL, MCL and LCL, dislocated his knee and suffered damage to his meniscus. He underwent the first of multiple surgeries last week, and it's very possible that he won't be able to play at all in the 2025 regular season. If Dell makes it back, he also might never be the same on the football field for the Texans as an explosive downfield threat in the passing attack. We should know more about his status for next season once training camp rolls around. Dell finished 2024 with 51 catches (81 targets) for 667 yards and three TDs in 14 games.

From RotoBaller

Derrick Henry Jan 20 4:53pm CT
Derrick Henry

Baltimore Ravens RB Derrick Henry recorded 909 rushing yards after contact this season, which led the league in that category. He also led the lead with 42 broken tackles during the season.

Fantasy Spin: Henry was with a new team this season but continues to be one of the best running backs in the NFL. He should see a similar workload next season and will be a must-start option in all leagues.

From TheHuddle

Caleb Williams Jan 20 4:30pm CT
Caleb Williams

Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears are finalizing a deal to hire former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson as their next head coach. Well, that happened fast. Just two days after falling to the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round, Johnson is on the move. The South Carolina native took over as OC for the Lions in 2022 and has excelled in his role. Over that three-season stretch, Detroit has averaged a league-best 29 points per game, finishing fifth (26.6), fifth (27.4), and first (33.1) in that time. He'll now head to Chicago and work with sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams and young, talented wideouts D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze. Johnson was considered one of the top coaching candidates on the market last winter, and he's finally in transit to his former division foes.

From RotoBaller

Mack Hollins Jan 20 3:00pm CT
Mack Hollins

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins hauled in 1-of-2 targets for 12 yards in Sunday night's 27-25 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. Hollins saw a target on the Bills' first play from scrimmage -- a deep shot up the left sideline ~30 yards down-field that quarterback Josh Allen put just beyond his fingertips. Though, it is worth noting that he short-armed it a bit. The 31-year-old's next -- and last target -- would come midway through the fourth, and he was fired up about it after gaining a first down. With Allen attempting just 22 passes and Buffalo's ground game scoring all three touchdowns, he and the other pass-catchers were not needed much besides fellow wideout Khalil Shakir (6/67). He'll get another shot at production against the Chiefs in the Conference Championship but will be tough to trust as a reliable option with only two post-season receptions.

From RotoBaller