NEW ORLEANS — Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones announced his decision to hire Brian Schottenheimer as the team’s head coach and sign quarterback Dak Prescott to a substantial four-year contract worth $240 million. This move signals Jones’s commitment to a win-now mentality, focusing on competing for Super Bowl titles.

During the NFL Honors event on Thursday night, Jones expressed his confidence in Schottenheimer leading the franchise towards a Super Bowl victory. At 51, Schottenheimer stepped up from his previous role as offensive coordinator to become the tenth head coach in the Cowboys’ rich history.

This promotion took place shortly after the Cowboys parted ways with Mike McCarthy, who had brought Schottenheimer in as a consultant in 2022. McCarthy’s tenure ended with a contract expiration following a disappointing 7-10 season.

Jones highlighted Schottenheimer’s impressive football pedigree, noting that his late father, Marty Schottenheimer, had a remarkable coaching record of 200 wins to 126 losses over 21 seasons in the NFL. Jones emphasized the importance of this lineage in the decision-making process.

“We called it osmosis, sitting around the breakfast table,” Jones stated. He elaborated that Schottenheimer’s rich background in football, having sought guidance from his father and gained experience with various NFL organizations, made him a well-equipped candidate for the head coaching role. “He’s been around football his whole life, so he’s no accident. He has plenty of experience to take on this challenge,” added Jones.

Schottenheimer is viewed positively within the locker room, and Jones defended his choice, insisting it was more than just a conservative option by promoting someone from within the existing coaching staff. “It provides us with continuity while giving us a fresh approach,” he explained.

This marks the ninth coaching hire by Jones since he took ownership of the Cowboys in 1989 and the seventh since the last time the team reached an NFC championship game during the 1995 season, which led to their fifth Super Bowl title. This streak represents the longest gap in the NFC without reaching the conference title game.

Though the Cowboys achieved playoff berths for three consecutive years under McCarthy, they only managed a 1-3 record in the postseason despite ending those seasons with strong 12-5 records.

“The choices I’m making are aimed at immediate competition, not rebuilding,” said Jones. “I’m focused on competing right now. While last year’s decisions didn’t pan out as hoped, signing Dak to the largest contract in NFL history shows that we are all in for immediate success. We’re eagerly looking forward to the potential of our team to compete this season.”