With an expiring contract, owner Jerry Jones decided to let Mike McCarthy walk, despite three straight 12-5 seasons and back-to-back-to-back trips to the playoffs before a dip to 7-10 this past fall.
McCarthy, a veteran NFL coach with head coaching stints in Dallas and Green Bay, went 49-34 as the head coach of America's Team.
The puzzling part of decision to let McCarthy walk was the timing, as the franchise missed out on opportunities to interview top candidates of the cycle like Lions coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn.
After interviewing just four candidates, Jones decided the best candidate was under the team's roof the entire time, and promoted offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to the head coaching post.
INTERVIEWED (4):
- Robert Saleh (former Jets HC)
- Leslie Frazier (Seahawks AHC)
- Kellen Moore (Eagles OC)
- Brian Schottenheimer (Cowboys OC) - *HIRED*
Here's how Schotty is putting together his staff.
OFFENSE
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR:
Klayton Adams (Cardinals OL)
OC Interview / Requests
Klayton Adams (Cardinals OL) *Hired*
Ken Dorsey (Browns OC)
Scottie Montgomery (Lions RBs)
Kevin Koger (Falcons TEs)
QUARTERBACKS
Steve Shimko (Cowboys offensive assistant)
RUNNING BACKS
Derrick Foster (Saints RBs)
WIDE RECEIVERS
Junior Adams (Oregon co-OC / WRs)
OFFENSIVE LINE
Conor Riley (Kansas State OC)
TIGHT ENDS
Lunda Wells (Cowboys TEs)
Ken Dorsey - Pass Game Specialist
Tiquan Underwood - Assistant WRs
Raymond Chinyoung - Assistant OL
Ryan Feder - Game Management Coordinator
Dele Harding- QB Fellowship
DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR:
Matt Eberflus (Bears HC)
DC Interviews / Requests:
Andre Curtis (Bears safeties)
Ryan Crow (Dolphins OLBs)
LINEBACKERS
Dave Borgonzi (Bears LBs)
CORNERBACKS
David Overstreet (Bears CBs)
DEFENSIVE LINE
Aaron Whitecotton (Jets DL)
DEFENSIVE PASS GAME COORDINATOR / SAFETIES
Andre Curtis (Bears safeties)
NICKELS
Darian Thompson (Cowboys Assistant)
JJ Clark - Assistant LBs
Bryan Bing - Assistant DL
Tanzel Smart - Defensive Assistant / Quality Control
SPECIAL TEAMS
SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR:
Nick Sorenson (49ers DC)
Carlos Polk - Assistant Special Teams
SUPPORT STAFF
Will McClay - VP of player personnel (retained)
Harold Nash - Head Strength and Conditioning (retained)
Cedrick Smith - Assistant S&C
Kendall Smith - Assistant S&C
Braylon Tatum - Assistant S&C / Sports Science