Unexpected Visitor at Schottenheimer’s Home

This week, things didn’t exactly go smoothly at the Schottenheimer residence.

During a game-planning session, Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer had an unusual interruption when his son Sutton accidentally left the sliding door open. As he recounted on Friday, “I’m not sure if the owl was hunting or just looking for trouble, but it definitely makes for a good story,” he said. “I stepped away from the meeting—about 10 PM—and found 72 text messages awaiting me. I mean, I guess that’s what happens when you have a teenage son. The first message was from him to his mom, saying, ‘Uh, there’s a bird in here that’s as big as a hawk.’ I looked down, and sure enough, there was an owl.”

It’s safe to say the appearance of the owl left everyone a bit rattled, as Schottenheimer’s wife, Jemi, shared on her Instagram Story.

“He was a bit at a loss for how to handle it since we’re not really outdoorsy types. So, he called his nephew, who’s about to marry his niece, and they brainstormed some ideas,” the coach explained. “However, their attempts only seemed to upset the owl more. In true coaching style, I told my wife, ‘Hey, let’s just crash at the condo tonight.’ Thankfully, they managed to relocate the owl to a safer place. But really, you just can’t invent this stuff!”

“It turned into a job for animal control,” Schottenheimer continued. “A guy showed up with a net that reminded me of one you’d use for a pool. I might have to consider branching into animal control if this keeps happening. I’ve gained quite a bit of experience with urban wildlife now!”

This incident even recalled a more concerning experience from earlier this season, when a snake bit his dog just before their victory against the Giants.

“You know, I—I think I might just keep an elephant in my garage next time,” Schottenheimer joked. “Whatever it takes to win, right?”