Like many Dallas Cowboys fans, Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin doesn’t approve of the team’s head-coaching hire.
On Friday, the Cowboys named Brian Schottenheimer their next head coach. Schottenheimer has been the team’s offensive coordinator for two seasons but has no head-coaching experience.
In a clip posted to his YouTube channel on Saturday, Irvin — who starred for Dallas for 12 seasons — skewered the Cowboys and said they should’ve hired Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders instead.
“Here’s my issue. We lost an opportunity here. I don’t know what happened with coach Schottenheimer, but [owner] Jerry Jones is a shrewd, shrewd businessman, and this opportunity, I’m shocked he did not see,” the former wide receiver said. “I was pushing for Deion Sanders to be the next head coach, and I still stand ten toes down on that push.”
It appeared there was mutual interest between Sanders and the Cowboys. Per Fox Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Jones contacted Sanders after they didn’t renew former HC Mike McCarthy’s contract.
Ed Werder of WFAA-TV in Dallas recently reported that Sanders would have “certainly accepted the job” if Jones had offered it.
Sanders, however, previously told “Good Morning America” that he would only consider coaching in the NFL if a team drafted his sons, Colorado quarterback Shedeur and safety Shilo.
This could’ve been a deal-breaker for Dallas. The Cowboys are married to quarterback Dak Prescott after signing him to a four-year, $240M deal before the season started.
Irvin suggested Dallas still shouldn’t have hired a candidate from McCarthy’s staff, especially after the Cowboys went 7-10 and missed the playoffs this season.
“I know what we needed,” Irvin said. “[The Cowboys] don’t have a curfew. They don’t have discipline. They were fourth in penalties issued. So how do you fix that? How do you do that when you’re coming from the inside?”
Of course, Schottenheimer could prove his doubters wrong. If he flops, though, expect Irvin and others to continue lambasting the Cowboys.
