Brian Schottenheimer and Shane Steichen took another step toward the unemployment line on Sunday. Neither coach has been fired, but both are under growing pressure—and the owners of the Cowboys and Colts seem willing to keep hoping that struggling seasons can still be turned around.
After Dallas let a lead slip away in overtime against Arizona, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Schottenheimer’s job was not in immediate danger. Jones said he was focused on the team’s chances to win, not on making a coaching change.
Dallas had those chances. The Cowboys led 14-3 at halftime and 17-10 after three quarters, then gave up the game. Arizona rallied with Gardner Minshew connecting with Michael Wilson and handing the ball to Tyler Allgeier, who rushed for 147 yards. He’d managed only 64 yards across the Cardinals’ previous three games.
It was Dallas’s third home loss in four games. The team has also struggled to put wins together: under Schottenheimer, the Cowboys have managed consecutive victories just once.
Jones pointed to the players and the team as a whole rather than placing the blame on his coach. He said several people had let Schottenheimer down and called the loss a collective failure.
For now, Jones says he intends to stay the course. Still, it’s hard not to wonder what he thinks will change.
Indianapolis has its own set of problems after a 42-7 loss to Jacksonville. The Colts have dropped four straight, dismissed their general manager, and traded away several prominent players. Running back Jonathan Taylor could also be moved.
Asked whether Daniel Jones would remain the starting quarterback, Steichen said he planned to evaluate every position. It was a notable shift from the offseason, when Steichen and former general manager Chris Ballard agreed to give Jones a two-year extension.
The Colts’ change in direction seems to be spreading through the organization. Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon has fired Ballard and begun dealing away top players, while Steichen now appears less certain about Jones. Sunday’s performance offered little reassurance: Jacksonville ran for 183 yards, and Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdown passes.
Given the upheaval, Steichen’s job could be next. Irsay-Gordon might decide to make a change as soon as Monday, though if he stays through the week, that may only delay the decision rather than signal lasting confidence.
If Steichen is dismissed, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo or offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter could take over on an interim basis. Both have interviewed for NFL head coaching jobs before. Change has already arrived in Indianapolis, and Steichen may not be far from feeling its effects.
