Brian Schottenheimer admitted Monday he was emotional when Jerry Jones informed him he would be the next coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
‘When I got the news I really couldn’t speak,’ Schottenheimer told reporters as part of his introductory news conference.
It wasn’t just because he was realizing a long-held dream after 25 years in the NFL. It also reminded him of one of his most impactful mentors during his journey toward becoming a head coach.
‘Immediately, I went to seeing my father’s face and knowing how proud he would be of me,’ Schottenheimer said.
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Schottenheimer’s father, Marty, was a 21-year NFL head coach who spent time with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington and San Diego Chargers in a career that spanned three decades. He posted a 200-126-1 record during his career and was named the NFL’s Coach of the Year in 2004.
The younger Schottenheimer got his NFL start working as an assistant with the St. Louis Rams before joining his father’s staffs in Kansas City, Washington and San Diego. They spent parts of six seasons together before Brian took the New York Jets’ offensive coordinator job ahead of the 2006 season.
The 51-year-old credited the time spent with his father as a formative part of his life, both as a person and a coach.
‘My father was a legendary coach, a great man, but he was an incredible father,’ Schottenheimer said Monday. ‘And he’s impacted me more than anyone in this profession.’
The elder Schottenheimer died on Feb. 8, 2021 at age 77 after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He never got a chance to see his son get the Dallas job, which makes the duo the ninth father/son combination to both serve as NFL head coaches.
Nonetheless, the younger Schottenheimer felt his father’s memory was palpable as he was introduced as the Cowboys’ head coach in front of an audience that included many family members, including his mother Pat, wife Gemmi, son Sutton and daughter Savannah.
‘I know he’s looking down on me and I know he’s proud,’ Schottenheimer said. ‘And I miss him very much.’
‘But I know what he’d say to me,’ Schottenheimer added. ‘He’d say, ‘Brian, the easy part is over. It’s time to get to work.”