Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has been getting down to business in his first NFL offseason in the big seat, and he appears to have everything rolling as the team now breaks up for six weeks before training camp.
But it has been a whirlwind six months for the first-time head coach, and while he has been around the franchise for the last couple of seasons, things are a little different when you are “the” guy.
And as minicamp concluded, Schottenheimer was asked if there were a story he would tell his late father, Marty, if he were still here today.
“Obviously an emotional family, and I was really nervous going into the press conference, big moment, you’ve been waiting for your whole life,” Schottenheimer said. “So Jerry [Jones] and Stephen walked me down and I saw my family, but when I turned the corner, I saw the players, all the players that were here, and he would know the fact that all those players showed up, that I’m doing it the right way.
“I’m doing it through connection, through love, juice, and energy, and that actually calmed me down, it really did. I was nervous and excited at the same time. When I saw those players waiting for me right around the corner, it totally put me at peace, so that was cool.”
That is the togetherness, the relationships that Schotty has built with players in the past couple of seasons, bearing fruit.
He was nervous walking to his introductory press conference, but when he saw the players standing there, seemingly as a big vote of confidence, he was “at peace,” and that tells you a lot about what he’s building at The Star.
Not only from his viewpoint, but also from the players’ view as well – they are bought in.
Even at that early stage, everyone was pulling in the same direction, and that connection and relationship the locker room has with their new head coach has been the driving force behind what has been a successful offseason for Schotty.
And we imagine his father, Marty, is smiling down on his son as he forges his own path as an NFL head coach.
