FRISCO - Dak Prescott is wrong about Brian Schottenheimer.
No, not necessarily wrong in his support of the new coach; Prescott attended the Monday presser here inside The Star as "Schotty'' was officially introduced as the team’s next head coach, and that was a warm and fuzzy and appropriate thing.
Nor is Dak's behind-the-curtain support of the elevation of Schottenheimer from serving as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator for the last two seasons and as a consultant for a year before that to the top job "wrong.''
So what's the "wrong'' part? Where is the team leader Prescott steering things in a faulty direction?
“I just wanted to go support him,'' Dak said of his presence at the presser. "One, proud of him, proud of taking advantage of this opportunity, and two, I know the approach he’s going to have. I wanted to show him, ‘Hey, I’m going to be here with you and for you.’
"Not only that, what, he signs for four years? I got four years left on my contract. He’s tied directly to my future, so let’s go be the best that we can in these four years.”
Yeah ... that's not exactly how this works, though.
At the very start of the 2024 season, Prescott signed his long-awaited four-year extension with the Cowboys worth $240 million prior to the season, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history.
And we know that Schottenheimer’s deal is indeed set at four years, too.
But ... so what?
Jerry Jones historically has a slow trigger finger when it comes to firing coaches under contract. So maybe "Schotty'' get four years to fix this thing.
Or maybe, Jones, who turns 83 in October and who is clearly sensitive about his 29-year title drought (and getting no help from son Stephen's ill-advised "air quotes''), will be a bit less patient this time around.
And Dak's "four more years''? His contract was written very specifically with an "escape hatch'' ... not after four years.
After two years.
Is there an eventual "escape hatch''? Going into 2027, the dead money is down to $17 mil and the cap savings is $45. So ... Dallas in the spring of 2027 would gain $28 mil of overall room if the club decides that it's done with Dak at age 34.
In other words. In short? The window can be two years, not four. There are no promises here.
Speaking of “promises” …
“My vision for him is he’s one of the best,” Schottenheimer said of Dak. “And through the coaching that he’s going to get. Through the hours and hours of time that he and I will spend together, he’s going to play elite-level football. And he’s going to lead us to championships.”
Is that happening in 2025? In two years? In four?
Schottenheimer, 51, has never been a head coach but he is benefitting from a push for “continuity” here - and a pre-hire endorsement to the Joneses from Dak.
“The simple conversation I had with Jerry, post the decision of Mike walking, was simply that, the continuity. They wanted to keep continuity,” Prescott said. “Obviously had a lot of success with this group, with these men, and knew this was important to me. And Schotty has been a huge factor in that ...''
The respect between Schottenheimer and Prescott is mutual and clear.
“Dak and I have an incredible relationship,” the new coach said. “Just like I have an incredible relationship with all these guys. Dak and I know how to push each other’s buttons. We know how to have hard conversations.”
That's grand. But if success doesn't come sooner rather than later?
Prescott and Schottenheimer will be subject to some other "hard conversations'' - maybe way before their four-year bond expires.
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