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Todd Archer
FRISCO, Texas — There’s a signal on the again of Brian Schottenheimer’s desk that reads: ” coach can change a sport. A terrific coach can change a life.”
Getting into his first season because the Dallas Cowboys head coach, Schottenheimer isn’t just making an attempt to stay as much as these phrases; he tries to cleared the path his father, Marty, led 4 groups for 21 years as a head coach within the NFL.
Father’s Day has at all times been particular for Brian, not simply because he has two youngsters, however the bond he constructed together with his father, who handed away in 2021 from Alzheimer’s, unable to see one in every of his desires come true when Marty was named the tenth coach in Cowboys historical past.
“I do know he is proud,” Schottenheimer mentioned, pausing due to emotion. “I miss him … I might inform him that I’ve used all of the life classes that he taught me, not nearly soccer. However about life and being a superb man and good husband and good father and that I believe I am doing OK for myself.”
Schottenheimer has leaned into the connection between coaches and gamers in his first offseason with the Cowboys, making an attempt to construct a bond off the sector that can hopefully impression the on-field productiveness. He held a crawfish boil and paintball sport on his first two days of the offseason program. There have been each day free throw taking pictures competitions — go rusher Sam Williams was named the offseason winner — and placing competitions.
His theme is “Compete Each Day.”
It is one thing he discovered from his dad.
Requested if there was a second within the offseason that will be the primary story he would have advised his father, Schottenheimer pointed to his introductory press convention. He was nervous and emotional, unaware it was going to be in the principle atrium at The Star.
“After I turned the nook, I noticed the gamers, all of the gamers that have been right here, and he would know the truth that all these gamers confirmed up that I am doing it the fitting manner,” Schottenheimer mentioned. “I am doing it by means of connection. I am doing it by means of love. I am doing it by means of juice and vitality. And that truly calmed me down. It actually did.
“I used to be nervous and excited on the identical time. After I noticed all these gamers ready for me proper across the nook, it completely put me at peace.”
Schottenheimer mentioned he now leans on a few of his father’s associates, like Invoice Cowher, an assistant coach underneath Marty earlier than turning into the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ head coach. Invariably, he will probably be stopped by individuals throughout the league earlier than video games with a narrative about his father.
“I will have two or three completely different people come as much as me and say, ‘Excuse me, coach. Do you might have a second?’ And I do know precisely the place they are going,” Schottenheimer mentioned. “I drop what I am doing, as a result of I need to hear it. They are saying, ‘Your father modified my life.’ And it is his former gamers.
“He by no means gained a Tremendous Bowl. He gained over 200 video games within the NFL, however I might put his legacy up with anybody that is ever coached the sport.”
