A future Hall of Fame quarterback recently gave new Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer a thumbs-up.
On a Tuesday episode of The Athletic’s “Scoop City” podcast, Chase Daniel — who was Drew Brees’ backup for four seasons with the New Orleans Saints — texted the Super Bowl champion after Dallas hired Schottenheimer last week.
“The first thing out of Drew’s mouth was — and I’m reading a text from him, shoutout Drew — ‘I love him. He’s a great coach and great communicator,'” Daniel said.
Brees played for Schottenheimer from 2002-06 when he was the QBs coach for the then-San Diego Chargers. In 2004, Brees made his first Pro Bowl and won Comeback Player of the Year.
Other QBs have also succeeded under the longtime assistant. In 2020, when Schottenheimer was his offensive coordinator, former Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson threw a career-high 40 touchdown passes in 16 regular-season starts.
Schottenheimer has been Dallas’ OC for two seasons, learning how to push quarterback Dak Prescott.
“Dak and I know how to push each other’s buttons,” Schottenheimer said in his introductory news conference Monday. “I think about training camp last year. A ball got intercepted, and we had a thing where if you throw an interception, you come out. And so I took Dak out, and he’s like, What? The competitor in him is special.”
Still, Schottenheimer may not maximize Prescott, who looked like a declining player this season. Before his season-ending hamstring injury, the 31-year-old went 3-5 in eight starts and posted a career-low 45.2 QBR, below the league average.
QB isn’t the Cowboys’ only issue. Dallas (7-10) finished second to last in the league in points allowed (27.5) and 27th in rushing yards (100.3).
Dallas must fill these holes in free agency and the NFL Draft. Otherwise, the Cowboys could flop under Schottenheimer, which would make the hire even more unpopular.
