Brian Schottenheimer has a mountain to climb. The Dallas Cowboys are about to play outside the United States for the first time in over a decade, and that too against a team they’ve had a terrible record against. But as the team travelled to Rio de Janeiro this weekend, leaving home wasn’t easy for the coach.
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His wife, Gemmi, is cooped up at home sick, as the flu bug got to her. Gemmi took to social media to share her thoughts and that she was missing some special people
“Not my weekend…flat tire to under the weather… I miss you @savannahschottenheimer,” Gemmi Schottenheimer posted on her IG story along with her picture.
Gemmi was talking about her daughter, who is attending Auburn University. The couple also share a son, but both their children have left the nest. And on a day when Gemmi had already dealt with a flat tire, the health bug wasn’t ideal.
Now, even though she is sick, Gemmi knows the routine around road games. Even before she knew Brian, she had been involved in football. It’s a part of their relationship that Schottenheimer has previously appreciated, especially around choosing the right partner when football is your career.
“Well, number one, I think it’s the most important decision that you make in your life. I know I would not be here if it wasn’t for her [Gemmi]. I don’t want to get emotional talking about my wife, but I’m very blessed.”
But that’s not all. Speaking during a January 2025 press conference after becoming Cowboys head coach, Brian opened up about how much Gemmi has helped him.
“It’s been an incredible journey. Lots of ups, lots of downs,” Schottenheimer said. “You’ve always been by my side. You’re my best friend, and I love you more than you know.”
In any case, Brian Schottenheimer is keeping himself and his players focused on the game against the Ravens.
“We’re going to be busy. This is a business trip,” Schottenheimer said. “The meetings and the walkthroughs and the practice that we’ll have [Friday], the trip to the stadium on Saturday, those are all critical parts to what we’re doing so we go into the game feeling prepared.
Schottenheimer made a bold decision to keep players’ families in the U.S. and make the Brazil trip all about football. Dallas arrived in Brazil with a 1-1 record and wanted the players fully focused on the Ravens. The decision was also influenced by the U.S. travel advisory, which lists Brazil at Level 2, while some areas have a Level 4 “do not travel” warning.
“I’m not planning any touristy attractions. My thing is to focus on getting down there. It’s going to be a long trip. We know that. We own that. Got a good plan in place.”
The Cowboys are going to face a very potent offense in the Baltimore Ravens, who have playmakers like Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. This will be the rebuilt Cowboys’ defense’s first true test.
Like the Cowboys, the Ravens are also treating this international matchup as pure business. Jackson told the press that the trip was “not to go have fun, to sightsee, or anything like that.”
This is a big game for both teams and the NFL. It will be the league’s first game in Rio de Janeiro, and the first international outing for the Cowboys after 2014, when they played in London.
However, the game will kick off amid scrutiny over the quality of the field at the host Maracanã Stadium. The field, which is natural grass, was highlighted by soccer club players. Flamengo’s Agustin Rossi complained how “unbelievable” the surface was, and that it reportedly has a lot of bumps.
The NFLPA has also looked into the matter.
“Based on our experts’ assessment, the field needed better traction and stability,” a statement from NFLPA’s JC Tretter read. “They recommended reinforced stitching to help the surface hold together and brought in equipment to reinforce as much of the field as possible before the game. Our experts will remain engaged and continue evaluating conditions through kickoff.”
The Dallas Cowboys need this win to firmly establish themselves as a contender this season, after coming up short in the past few seasons.