Is the Jimmy Johnson Curse playing its tricks yet again? Theoretically, ‘America’s Team’ is a good team. It has fans all over the nation, no, globe, and they are oddly successful in the regular season. But practically, something’s not sitting right, especially as they get close to the postseason. And many consider the 81-year-old Texan’s role in the suffering. Remember Johnson’s departure?

32 years ago, the head coach who brought two of its only five SB championships to Dallas, cut his way out of the team. The reason? The inability to work with Jerry Jones, the co-GM and team owner, who wanted more control over the on-field operations of the team and would not even acknowledge the Hall of Famer’s work in leading the team to their second SB trophy. While for Jones, it was the apparent “disloyalty” of Johnson. Since then, the Cowboys have only held the hardware in SB XXX three decades ago under Barry Switzer.

For years, the Cowboys fans have riled up against Jones to change something in the team as cries for Dallas to get its edge back have only got louder, still, nothing improved despite them seeing three head coach swaps in the last decade. But now, it seems like the words from the crowd shouting “This is our year” are finally becoming a reality after years of sharing a sentiment of ‘All hope is gone’ even if not all are on board, including the Cowboys legend, Emmitt Smith.

The Dallas Cowboys front office had been quieter than a halftime locker room during a losing streak. Whispers of change swirled, but Jerry Jones kept his cards close. But he went on a “solo mission” and promoted the son of the legend Marty Schottenheimer, Brian Schottenheimer, to HC following his continuing stint with the team since 2022. Now, the curtain’s finally lifting—and the plot twists are juicier than a Texas brisket.

There was no doubt lingering after the team’s disappointing 2024 season with a 7-10 regular season record and a missed playoff berth that Mike McCarthy’s exit is closing in. Much to the point, after failing to settle an extension with Mike, the Cowboys unveiled their 2025 coaching staff on Friday, headlined by new HC Brian Schottenheimer, hired on January 25. Brian signed a 4-year deal that will see him through the 2028 season. Interestingly,

The news was broken as a Friday night news dump since Brian was not even amongst the top favorites for the role which included the likes of Deion Sanders, Robert Saleh, and Kellen Moore. Nonetheless, the stars were in his favor as Jones wanted someone well-versed with the team’s operations, exactly where the new head coach came in. But while familiarity was a condition to promote Schottenheimer, his staff blends fresh faces and seasoned minds.

Ex-Bears HC Matt Eberflus will run the defense, while Klayton Adams, former Cardinals OL coach, takes the offensive reins. But the real story? Schottenheimer ignored the NFL’s buddy system.

Only five hires have prior ties to him. Instead, he and Jerry Jones poached rising talents like Ken Dorsey (pass game specialist) and Junior Adams (WRs coach), prioritizing innovation over nepotism. Schottenheimer’s crew faces skepticism, but there’s logic here.

Eberflus’s defense—a four-man rush, no-frills scheme—could stabilize a unit that over-relied on blitzes under Dan Quinn. However, a lot will also matter on how well Eberflus adapts to the new team. No doubt, Dallas can heavily benefit from blitzing. On offense, Klayton’s gap-scheme expertise might revive a dormant run game. But the question would be whether Brian will allow Klayton from influencing the game by subsiding the OC inside him?

The Staff:

Schottenheimer and Jones are building a “team of rivals,” David Howman noted, referencing Lincoln’s cabinet. Translation: Dallas is betting on clash-of-ideas creativity.

The Dallas Cowboys have finalized their coaching staff pic.twitter.com/x4TWUL8LKB

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) February 14, 2025

Meanwhile, rivals like Detroit and New Orleans stacked staffs with familiar names. Bold of Schottenheimer? Absolutely. Desperate? Maybe. But after three straight playoff flops, bold beats boring. But not everyone’s cheering.

Emmitt Smith isn’t buying Jones’ restructuring

Promoting Schottenheimer was a choice of keeping the insiders in. However, was that move exactly a smart one? HOF RB Emmitt Smith doesn’t believe so as he blasted Jerry Jones’ loyalty to old habits. “Next subject,” Smith scoffed on ESPN Radio Unsportsmanlike when asked about Brian. Clearly, he is not on board with what his former team is deciding for the coming four years. He further added, “I have no reaction. I just don’t know what to say. I know we have to give the man a chance

“and I’m willing to give him a chance, an opportunity to turn things around. However, if we don’t align our vision and commitment to that vision, I think we’re going to get a lot of things that we’ve seen in the past, and that doesn’t feel good.” Smith also doubled down on Dallas’ shaky identity but kept most of his comments to himself to analyze the work in the coming months.

“We need a lot more than Ashton Jeanty. All of that talk about having a running back and running game, there’s nothing wrong with our running game when there’s a commitment to the running game,” he stressed, slamming the front office’s “one-way” approach.

His gripe?

The team’s neglect of the run game and pass-heavy approach of recent years. “And you saw that of that last year when Dan Prescott went down, they reduced Cooper Rush from throwing the ball as much as Dan Prescott when Dan Prescott could’ve been reduced from throwing the ball as much as well when there’s a commitment to run game. That’s been a problem. I think we’ve gotten so far away from what we all know as the Cowboys the great team. You don’t see that balance no more. You just see one way, and that’s disappointing.”

Even Schottenheimer’s staff shake-up didn’t sway him. Smith also roasted Jones for snubbing Deion Sanders: “It is kind of disappointing that, from an opportunity standpoint, he [Deion] wasn’t considered high enough to do it.”

However, Jones’ words have been circulating on the internet where he mentions how Coach Prime was never a serious contender to begin with. The Athletic reporter for the Cowboys Jon Machota tweeted in late January, “When asked about their conversation, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Deion Sanders already has a job.” At the same time, Sanders has also made it clear that he would not want to coach against his son, and he loves his job with the Buffaloes. And while Jerry knows that he is playing a tricky card, Cowboys’ star QB is all set for the next season alongside the new head coach.

Dak Prescott is cautiously optimistic: “He [Schottenheimer] enjoys the work in it, kind of old-fashioned. Looking forward to the grind and some things that we’re gonna do and he’s gonna add. Excited for him. I know he’s ready for it.” But Smith’s warnings linger: Dallas went 7-10 last year, and Prescott’s health remains a question mark. Free agency and the draft loom large. With many holes yet to fill, the Cowboys just might be active participants in the free agency.

Schottenheimer’s hires are a departure from Dallas’ usual script. No yes-men. No nostalgia plays. Just a mosaic of voices tasked with fixing a broken culture. But as Smith warned, staff don’t win games—visions do. If Jones meddles or the run game stalls, this experiment collapses.

As the dust settles, one quote sums it up: “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.” — Henry Ford. For Schottenheimer, talking season’s over. Time to prove critics wrong.