The Dallas Cowboys‘ surprising decision to hire Brian Schottenheimer for the franchise’s head coaching job leaves Kellen Moore in the dust.
And it also reportedly has left Moore disappointed and stunned.
The Cowboys opted to promote incumbent offensive coordinator Schottenheimer over former top assistant Kellen Moore, who was one of four candidates who interviewed for the job.
Why? There are apparently 3 factors here.
In no particular order …
1 – Moore is coaching in the NFC Championship Game with the Eagles on Sunday, and there is some speculation – which we find to be irrational – that Jerry and Stephen Jones didn’t want to wait any longer to pull the trigger.
2 – Moore is a “professorial” type of coach, as Dallas knows well from his successful stint here as a coach under first Jason Garrett and then Mike McCarthy.
There should’ve been no surprises, therefore, in his virtual interview when he came across almost certainly as bright and well-organized … but also, as someone who is hardly a “drill sergeant” type of coach.
“They viewed (Schottenheimer’s) personality as more capable of commanding the room in terms of demanding accountability and establishing leadership (than Moore’s,” Werder wrote.
3 – All of this has apparently left Moore as surprised at being passed over as many are surprised at the elevation of Schottenheimer. According to a variety of outlets, Moore very much wanted this job and felt very confident that he had the inside track to getting it.
Neither “Schotty,” 51, or Moore, 36, has been a head coach before. Both entered the process with ties to The Star. Both would’ve offered some level of “continuity ” and “comfortability” for Dak Prescott, which was clearly a foundational issue for the Joneses.
“Brian Schottenheimer is known as a career assistant,” Jerry said after the hiring. “He ain’t Brian no more. He is now known as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”
And for the moment? While Moore remains a candidate for the New Orleans Saints job – interestingly, his main competition could be against the Dallas boss who elbowed him out of The Star, Mike McCarthy – it’s now Kellen who is still known as “a career assistant.”
