ESPN ranked every NFL team’s coaching staff. Where did the Dallas Cowboys fall?
The Dallas Cowboys will enter the 2025 NFL season with Brian Schottenheimer at the helm for the first time in his career. In preparation for the season, ESPN’s Ben Solak wrote a list ranking the top coaching staffs in the NFL. Which coaching staff did they pick as the best in the league, and where did the Cowboys rank?
The Cowboys were ranked 29th on the list, falling 16 spots from their ranking last season, and Schottenheimer’s past experience as an offensive coordinator was cited as part of the reason:
“Schottenheimer has been an offensive coordinator for 14 seasons in the league. Six with the Jets, three each with the Rams and Seahawks, then the last two in Dallas. Schottenheimer called plays in 12 of those 14 seasons, but if we look at all 14, his average success rate on offense is 42.9% -- the league average last year was 43.5%. His offenses score an average of 1.85 points per drive -- the league average last year was 1.91. As far as expected points added per play, Schottenheimer’s offenses literally average out to 0.00.”
ESPN also said it did not believe Schottenheimer could elevate the Cowboys personnel, despite calling the pairing a good fit, again citing past experience,
The top spot went to the Minnesota Vikings with head coach Kevin O’Connell, offensive coordinator Wes Phillips and defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Last year the Vikings went 14-3 in the regular season before losing in the Wild Card round to the Los Angeles Rams.
ESPN cited O’Connell’s offensive success last year, coupled with the defensive acumen of Brian Flores, as the reason for their ranking.
