Man, that question kept popping up everywhere – folks arguing online about the Cowboys coaching staff and who’s really running the show. Got sick of the rumors, so I figured, why not dig in myself and see what’s actually going on? Started simple.
The Frustrating Beginning
First thing Tuesday morning, I grabbed my coffee, opened the laptop, and honestly, just googled “dallas cowboys current coaching staff”. Yeah, basic. Got the usual Wikipedia stuff and team site listing. Saw Mike McCarthy listed as Head Coach right at the top. But that wasn’t enough, felt too surface-level.
Wanted the inside track, ya know? Who he trusts, who makes the real calls week-to-week. Searched stuff like “cowboys coaching staff structure 2023” and “who calls plays for dallas”. Kept hitting articles mentioning McCarthy but also this guy Brian Schottenheimer, and Dan Quinn for defense. Confusing! Mixed messages everywhere about who does what.
Grinding Through the Mess
Decided to hit the source directly. Went straight to the Official Dallas Cowboys website, found the “Staff Directory” buried in the menu. Scrolled down – bam, list confirmed:
- Head Coach: Mike McCarthy
- Offensive Coordinator: Brian Schottenheimer
- Defensive Coordinator: Dan Quinn
- Special Teams Coordinator: John Fassel
Alright, foundation set. But still felt like I was missing the human element, the day-to-day. How does this structure work?
Dug deeper. Listened to clips from Mike McCarthy’s recent press conferences on the team site. Paid close attention when reporters asked about play-calling, injuries, preparing for opponents. Heard him talk about collaborating with Schotty (Schottenheimer) on offensive schemes, but McCarthy himself clearly still involved heavily, especially on game day strategy. For defense, he constantly praised “DQ” (Dan Quinn) having full control.
Finding the Insider Nuggets
Wanted confirmation, more texture. Turned to local beat reporters I trust. Searched for tweets and articles by:
- David Helman (Fox Sports)
- Jon Machota (The Athletic)
- Mike Fisher (SI Fan Nation)
Found specific reports detailing how McCarthy oversees the whole operation, sets the tone, and handles the big-picture stuff – like roster management, discipline, final say on game plans. But Schottenheimer handles a lot of the offensive meeting room stuff and scripting practices. Quinn? Absolute boss on defense, no question. Stories about them grinding tape together late night cemented that hierarchy.
Watched interviews with players like Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons too. When they talked about “Coach Mac,” it was with that head coach respect. Parsons lighting up talking about “DQ’s energy” showed who runs that side.
The “Whoa, Didn’t Know That” Moment
Kept scrolling through old pressers. Found one from late last season where McCarthy himself got asked bluntly about the play-calling situation. He admitted while Schottenheimer manages prep during the week, “I call the plays on game day, period.” Mic drop moment right there. Explained all the confusion online – they collaborate, but the head man pulls the trigger Sundays.
Wrapping My Head Around It
So, after a couple hours clicking, reading, watching, and listening, the picture got super clear:
- The Head Coach is absolutely Mike McCarthy. He’s the CEO. Sets vision, manages the whole program, keeps owner Jerry Jones looped in, calls offensive plays Sundays.
- Brian Schottenheimer runs the offensive meetings, scripts practices, collaborates on the plan. McCarthy’s right-hand man on O.
- Dan Quinn is the undisputed king of the defense. McCarthy lets him cook. Total trust there.
- John Fassel owns special teams, crazy energy drills and all.
McCarthy trusts his coordinators deeply, especially Quinn. But don’t get it twisted – the buck stops with Mac. Hearing him in pressers, seeing how players talk about him, that head coach authority is real. Quit reading Twitter takes after that – go straight to the source and the people watching daily. Clears the fog fast.