Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer spoke to 105.3 The Fan’s Shan & RJ on air to address the rumors regarding defensive coordinator Christian Parker that had spread across the league. As Dallas hired Mike Pettine as a senior defensive assistant, reports swirled that eventually the veteran coach would take a larger role, sidelining Parker in the process. However, Schottenheimer described exactly how Pettine fits into their defensive system and what the Cowboys’ chain of command would look like.

When the radio hosts asked if the 60-year-old former head coach will report to Parker or up top, Brian Schottenheimer wanted to clear up exactly what the inner workings of their system were. Pettine is here to assist the coaching staff as a sounding board, with the reporting line running straight to the head coach. 

“Yeah, no. I mean, Mike reports directly to me. Obviously, he works side-by-side with the entire staff, all three phases, but again, the most important thing for him right now is to be a sounding board for Christian. And as we’ve worked through this process – when you have issues and you’re looking for solutions, you throw a lot of things out there. 

“And so, for example, we talked about a lot of different things, and you know, CP’s going to stay down on the field, Pet’s going to be up in the box being great eyes and ears for him. And I really feel like as we’ve worked through the issues through the week, we just felt like that’s the best thing for us. So, again, thrilled to be adding an awesome, awesome football coach in Mike Pettine that’s really very, very humble and just excited to be here to help us and, and get better and win,” Brian Schottenheimer stated, clarifying the situation on Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan.

It puts an end to the debate regarding game-day locations, as Parker stays down on the sideline where he can look his players in the eye and call the plays directly. Meanwhile, Pettine is up in the coaches’ booth using his eyes and ears to observe the opposition’s personnel changes and coverage looks. 

In addition, Brian Schottenheimer explained why fans haven’t seen Pettine out running drills at practice. He’s strictly in the meeting room studying film and giving notes, just like the advisory consultant role Schottenheimer held when he first got to Dallas back in the 2022 season.

To eliminate any confusion on who’s in charge of the defense, Schottenheimer publicly endorsed Parker during his press conference on Wednesday when he said, “Christian Parker is our defensive coordinator and everything, all decisions, will run through him.” Dallas is 31st in total defense, giving up 395.4 yards per game, but the Cowboys still share responsibility for the struggles on that side of the ball.

It all began earlier this week when team owner Jerry Jones spoke to 105.3 The Fan about the coaching staff under Brian Schottenheimer. He said that Parker is going to be up in the box as they’re coaching defense from not on the field, but up above. Immediately, it began to stir the rumor mill that the DC was facing a demotion or losing play-calling duties.

It forced Parker to weigh in on Thursday, when he said he thought he would stay down on the field to keep a closer connection to his players. The disconnect between the front office and the coaching staff created more than enough fuel for rumors to spread.

It only helped to stoke the fires when ex-ESPN reporter Ed Werder reported on social media that an anonymous former NFL HC had criticized Parker while singing Pettine’s praises. The former coach stated, “They finally hired a real coach. Pettine is legit. Dallas will walk away with that division now.” It created more speculation that Pettine would eventually take over as defensive coordinator. 

While Werder’s report may have done that, inside the Cowboys’ building, Pettine and Parker have a long history of working together. The two were on staff together when Pettine was with Green Bay back in 2019, when he handed him his first NFL job as a defensive quality control coach. Parker even told the press that he worked to recruit Pettine earlier this year, saying, “He’s always been heavily invested in me and my career overall since we were together in Green Bay.” 

As America’s Team prepares to hit Lambeau Field for a Week 6 matchup against the Packers, they sit at 2-3 and need this coaching collaboration under Brian Schottenheimer to produce results on the field sooner rather than later.