Emmitt Smith doesn’t sound too impressed with the Dallas Cowboys’ recent head coaching decision.
The Cowboys surprisingly decided to hire their offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer as their next head coach.
Despite being linked to bigger names such as Cowboys legend Deion Sanders and their former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Dallas decided to look from within by hiring Schottenheimer.
”I’m going to reserve most of my comments for a later date, but right now I’m just soaking it in,” says Smith in a one-on-one interview with Sports Lens on the Cowboys’ head coaching decision. “What has happened and trying to analyze where we go from here and what it is going to look like. I don’t even know who he has on his staff yet, who he retained, who he got rid of, who he’s bringing in.”
Smith — who is best known for leading the franchise to three Super Bowls and played for team owner Jerry Jones for 12 seasons from 1990 until 2001 — says “we’ll see where it goes” when it comes to their decision on Schottenheimer.
“There’s a lot of open-ended questions right now for me to give any type of evaluation,” says Smith. “But we do have a new head coach, and when I say we, the Dallas Cowboys organization have a new head coach. We’ll see where it goes.”
Emmitt Smith Says It’s ‘Disappointing’ Deion Sanders Wasn’t Considered For Cowboys Job
Although Sanders was mentioned as a possibility, Jones confirmed that the Colorado Buffaloes head coach was never really a “serious” candidate.
The Hall-of-Fame cornerback has made a name while leading the Buffaloes back to relevance, recently completing a 9-4 season and an appearance in the Alamo Bowl.
Smith said it’s “disappointing” that Sanders wasn’t really considered “high enough” for the job.
”I know Deion has done a tremendous job in Colorado with limited resources and unfortunately for some African-American coaches, we always start off with limited resources and do the best we can with it,” says Smith. “For Deion I think Deion is definitely proving that he can manage, he can put together a staff under limited conditions. He’s done it at Jackson State, he’s done it at Colorado and he’s bringing in Hall of Fame players to help and assist. The game itself has changed so much and I think Deion has a way of connecting with current players and younger players as well.”
“It is kind of disappointing that from an opportunity standpoint, he wasn’t considered high enough to do it,” Smith continues to say. “But like I said, some things have to play themselves out.”
Smith: Cowboys Need Less ‘Flash,’ More Balance
The 36-year-old Moore had also been considered a possibility, conducting a virtual interview with the Cowboys prior to their official decision. However, he was never able to meet with Jones in person due to the Philadelphia Eagles’ run to the Super Bowl.
Moore previously served as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator from 2019 until 2022, leading Dallas to a top 10 ranking in points in three of those four years. He currently oversees the Eagles’ offense after they ranked second in yards and seventh in points this season.
While Smith acknowledges the great job that Moore has done in Philadelphia, he believes the Cowboys need a defensive-minded coach to lead them moving forward — not an offensive one.
”They got rid of him,” says Smith of the Cowboys previously parting ways with Moore. “They sent him to Philly and now he’s doing a tremendous job with the Eagles and they find themselves in the Super Bowl. But I’m not sure if that’s the answer either. I think the Cowboys need a defensive-minded coach. I really do.”
Smith stressed that the Cowboys have gotten away from having a concrete identity and mentions how they’re too busy trying to chase “flash” in players.
”I think the organization has gotten away from truly what has made it great, and that is running the football and throwing the football, being a well-balanced offensive unit,” says Smith. “I think we’re too busy trying to chase after this flash of trying to find the next Patrick Mahomes or the next Tom Brady or someone of that level. Those guys, they’re once-in-a-generation talents. Jayden (Daniels) is doing a tremendous job with the Washington Commanders.”
The former MVP and eight-time Pro Bowler laments that there’s a lack of “proper training” when it comes to a lot of the high-profile players coming in.
“You don’t get players coming in that early and excelling like that without having proper training,” says Smith. “I think most people are overestimating the quality of training that some of these kids actually have had. They give them the title of great and give them the title of the best of the best when they haven’t earned the right to be the best of the best yet. There’s a lot of issues going on throughout sport.”
We’ll see if the Cowboys’ decision to hire Schottenheimer ends up paying off, but it’s clear that there’s uncertainty whether or not the longtime offensive coordinator is the right man for the job.
Emmitt Smith Speaks of On Location Experience and Partnership
Smith is speaking on behalf of his partnership with On Location, the official hospitality provider of the NFL. The Cowboys legend is serving as an ambassador for On Location leading into the Super Bowl and details that fans can get exclusive access and invites to events in New Orleans with their Super Bowl hospitality packages.
”These are exclusive experiences when you think about it,” says Smith of On Location. “It’s not like people will have an opportunity to get into certain places, whether it’s being around the Lombardi trophy or whether it’s being around former Super Bowl MVPs, former players who played in the Super Bowl or Hall of Famers. These are events where if you’re not actually invited or have access to these events, you will have a different type of experience with On Location. You may get the exclusive opportunity to be in parties to get inside and outside of the stadium, just different types of things that some people might not have access to.”
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