During the 2025 NFL season, the Dallas Cowboys offense performed quite well under then-newly appointed head coach and primary play-caller Brian Schottenheimer. Taking a page from the Air Coryell offensive scheme, the Cowboys’ offense thrived, averaging 27.7 points per game (7th in the NFL), racking up 6,663 total yards (2nd in the NFL), and 6,663 total yards (2nd in the NFL).

Franchise quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens played a crucial role under Schotty’s scheme to achieve those numbers. Prescott threw for 4,552 yards, while Lamb and Pickens racked up 1,077 and 1,429 receiving yards in the 2025 season. Subsequently, the expectations were seemingly high for the 2026 regular season.

Instead, the offensive unit’s performance has been quite questionable so far. Through the first six games of the 2026 season, the Cowboys are averaging 25.2 points per game, ranking 11th/12th in the NFL while boasting a 2-4 record. As a result, while the criticism around Brian Schottenheimer’s play-calling continues, the Cowboys head coach has a three-word message for the play-calling duties.

“No, absolutely not,” Schottenheimer said when asked about giving up his play-calling duties on 105.3 The FAN, per Cowboys reporter Nick Harris. “I have incredible confidence in our offense. We have not played well the last two weeks; we have addressed a lot of the reasons why.

“We haven’t changed who we are. We are still a good explosive offense with weapons. We can hurt you a lot of different ways. I certainly haven’t lost the ability to call plays. I’m an elite play-caller in this league, and it can change around quickly.”

For context, when Brian Schottenheimer served as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator in 2023 & 2024, he did not call any plays. Instead, former head coach Mike McCarthy handled the duties.

However, after McCarthy’s departure, Jerry Jones made it a non-negotiable that Schotty take over the play-calling duties.

“We wanted Brian to call the plays…I believe, if he doesn’t call the plays, he’s probably not with the Cowboys,” Jones said last year.

Brian Schottenheimer boasted an impressive play-calling record last season. In 17 regular-season games, the Cowboys racked up more than two explosive pass plays (20+ yards), whereas in the 2026 season, the same offense finished with one or fewer explosive pass plays in 3 out of 6 games so far.

The difference is also evident in the team’s performance, leading to scrutiny around Schottenheimer’s play-calling abilities. However, the criticism reached a boiling point after consecutive losses to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Green Bay Packers, where the offense scored just 29 total points combined.

The last two losses also exposed the schematic flaws in Schottenheimer’s unit. As pointed out by Mickey Spagnola, these defenses attacked with sudden, aggressive blueprints that completely neutralised what had been a dominant 30.5 points per game scoring engine over the first month of the 2026 season for the Cowboys.

Meanwhile, the HC himself shared his observations on how efficiently the Packers’ defense read their offensive unit’s game.

“There were some run-pass kills where we were trying to have the premier play on,” Schottenheimer said after the Packers game. “And if you pull up the video, you saw how aggressive they were, and they were daring us to throw it. There were a few other run attempts that we ended up taking to passes because of the fronts and things that they were in.”

In Schotty’s Air Coryell system, explosive downfield plays are the engine. However, executing deep vertical concepts requires time. And that is where the opposite defenses are complicating the plays for the Cowboys.

Subsequently, Dak Prescott has faced 35 unblocked pressures so far in the 2026 season, the second-most in the league, which is acting as a catalyst for the offense’s lack of success.

Brian Schottenheimer faces growing criticism on play-calling duties

Additionally, the Cowboys’ last two losses also marked the first time since the Jason Garrett era that the Dallas Cowboys have scored fewer than 20 points in consecutive games with a healthy Dak Prescott.

Despite that, Schottenheimer appears confident in both his quarterback and his ability to manage the Cowboys’ play-calling duties.

“I think Dak has actually done a really good job of being patient against some of these teams that want to push out deep and put an umbrella over the top of our elite weapons, but we’re also aware that explosive plays make it a lot easier to score.”

However, the Cowboys Nation isn’t buying into the confidence that the second-year head coach is showing.

While calling out the HC, one fan dropped harsh words, adding, “Welp that pride officially seals it can’t get out of his own way.”

Meanwhile, another fan directly questioned Schotty’s play-calling abilities, “Every Sunday we finna see this with his a– playcalling burn the whole franchise down bruh.”

Some fans also commented on the HC’s confidence, “This dudes got a f——g ego,” while another fan called out what the America’s team will do in next year’s Draft, “Lmao get those mock drafts ready.”

Another agitated fan reflected on the Cowboys’ poor performance from over a decade ago, adding, “He called himself an ‘elite play caller’ in the interview! We’re screwed. Another 10 years of borderline good but often underachieving offensive play.”

The Dallas Cowboys last won a Super Bowl in the 1995 season. Since then, the franchise is still struggling to win another championship game. At the beginning of the 2026 season, Brian Schottenheimer and Co. appeared confident about the current season.

However, they currently sit with a 2-4 record. Now, it will be interesting how the HC plans his next steps while criticism against his play-calling keeps growing.