The Dallas Cowboys enter the 2025 season with significant questions surrounding both their new head coach Brian Schottenheimer and quarterback Dak Prescott. With Schottenheimer stepping into his first head coaching role and a looming timeline to prove his worth, the pressure is mounting. At the same time, Prescott’s future with the team remains unclear as he aims to recover from injury and demonstrate he can lead Dallas back to prominence.

Brian Schottenheimer Confronts High Expectations and Limited Time

As Brian Schottenheimer begins his tenure as the Cowboys’ head coach, insiders suggest he is already facing a ticking clock to deliver results. While Cowboys legend Troy Aikman expressed confidence in Schottenheimer’s abilities, he also emphasized the uncertainty that often accompanies new head coaches. Aikman noted,

“I think [Brian is] a good football coach. [But] you never know exactly what someone’s going to be when they’re a head coach. We’ll see how it works out.”

He further stressed the importance of winning, saying success will ultimately depend

“whether he can win games or not.”

When Jerry Jones made the decision to hire Schottenheimer, he acknowledged the significant risk involved due to Schottenheimer’s lack of prior head coaching experience. As Jones said,

“This is as big a risk as you can take. No head-coaching experience. – But how often do you have someone who has 25 years of experience working through the human relationship? … I like his baggage. I like that experience.”

Although Schottenheimer has spent nearly three decades in various NFL coaching roles, early reactions to his promotion were largely cautious rather than optimistic.

Coverage on 105.3 The Fan’s Below the Belt podcast highlighted the urgency Schottenheimer faces to change the team’s trajectory. Hosts Shan and RJ remarked,

“We talked about how he’s won the offseason and how he’s got goodwill built up at this point. If they start Week 1 or they’re three weeks into the season, they’re 1 and 2, or 0 and 3. There’s gonna be a lot of people turning pretty quickly.”

Coming off a 7-10 record that placed Dallas third in the NFC West, Schottenheimer’s role carries enormous pressure to improve upon last season’s disappointing finish.

The timeline discussed on the show places a clear deadline on success. According to Shan and RJ,

“Three years makes sense because year one is culture shock. It’s ‘I’m making my changes’ and there’s gonna be things that don’t work out right away. – Year 2, we start seeing some of it take shape, and there are some growing pains. Year 3, you need to be competitive, and year three, you need to show that this can work.”

Although Schottenheimer signed a four-year contract, the expectation is that by his third season, the Cowboys must visibly contend in the league or risk losing confidence in his leadership.

Questions Surround Dak Prescott’s Ability to Lead the Cowboys Forward

Amid the uncertainty about the coaching staff, Dak Prescott’s status as the franchise quarterback is also in question. Prescott entered the 2025 offseason determined to demonstrate his commitment, stating,

“I wanna win a championship. Be damned if it’s just for my legacy, for this team, for my personal being, for my sanity – the legacy will take care of itself.”

However, concerns persist regarding his physical condition and ability to replicate past achievements following a significant injury that cut his 2024 season short.

Prescott’s performance in 2023 showed his potential to guide Dallas to success. He finished with 4,516 passing yards and 36 touchdowns, helping the Cowboys secure a 12-5 record. Unfortunately, his 2024 campaign was derailed after just eight games due to injury. In that shortened period, he posted 1,978 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, but also threw eight interceptions. His passer rating dropped drastically from a career-best 105.9 in 2023 to a career-low 86.0 last year.

With Prescott approaching 32 years old, speculation is mounting whether the Cowboys might need to explore other options if his upcoming season does not show improvement. On the same podcast, a listener raised the question,

“Is the core running out of time for the Cowboys or is it Dak that’s running out of time?”

The response was unequivocal: “No, it’s Dak.” This feeds rumors the team could consider selecting a new quarterback from a deep talent pool in the 2026 NFL Draft if Prescott falters.

Supporting Cast Offers Hope Amid Uncertainty

Despite questions surrounding Prescott’s health and consistency, the Cowboys’ offensive lineup provides promising opportunities. Prescott echoed his focus on present challenges and preparation when he said,

“I have to stay where my feet are.”

Dallas boasts top receivers like CeeDee Lamb and new addition George Pickens, giving Prescott ample weapons to challenge opposing defenses. Whether this helps revive an explosive offense under Schottenheimer remains to be seen, but it sets the stage for a potentially exciting season.

As the new season approaches, the combination of Schottenheimer’s first year as head coach and Prescott’s comeback forms a critical crossroads for the Dallas Cowboys. The team’s performance this year will heavily influence the future of both men, with limited tolerance for prolonged struggles amid fan and organizational impatience.