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Amid breaking up a fight during training camp and dealing with everything else surrounding the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Brian Schottenheimer laid out his vision for the Cowboys' offense in 2025. The new head coach made it clear that he wants a physical style of play, capable of going toe-to-toe with the most dominant defensive lines in the NFC East.
“Just freaking try to shove it up their ass,” he said on Wednesday. “And that's what we're going to try to do. We're going to be physical,” according to A to Z Sports
That philosophy signals a shift in the team's identity. The Cowboys finished among the league's worst rushing offenses in 2024, totaling just 1,705 yards and six touchdowns on the ground all season. In response, the team signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency and drafted rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. In the first round, they also selected Alabama guard Tyler Booker to help anchor a more punishing offensive line.
Schottenheimer's coaching staff decisions reflect the same approach. He brought in former Arizona Cardinals assistant Klayton Adams as offensive coordinator and hired renowned college offensive line coach Conor Riley. Both additions underscore the team's commitment to building a tough, hard-nosed offense, not just for style, but to counter the defensive lines in Philadelphia, New York, and Washington.
The schedule also demands that kind of identity. Dallas opens the season against the Eagles and Giants, two of the most physical defensive fronts in the league. Speaking about that challenge, Schottenheimer was blunt:
“The best thing you can do for any offensive line—any offense—when you're playing elite defensive linemen is pound the football,” he told reporters.
With starting left tackle Tyler Guyton expected to miss several weeks due to injury, the Cowboys' depth up front will be tested early. Schottenheimer pointed to Nate Thomas and Asim Richards as key players gaining valuable reps in practice, going up against Dallas' pass rushers.
“I'm just excited to watch (backup tackle Nate Thomas) go out there and compete against some elite pass rushers we have out here, (Asim Richards), to see him compete,” Schottenheimer said. “And again, they're not going to win every rep—they're going to make mistakes, and that's part of practice.”
Schottenheimer's message to his players and staff has remained consistent: every week will be a battle in the trenches. The tone has been set from his words to the roster moves.
