Cowboys 'expected to move on' from QBs coach Scott Tolzien amid Brian Schottenheimer hire

The Dallas Cowboys are reshaping their coaching staff promoting offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach, and that includes letting-go of a respected assistant.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys are declining to bring quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien back to Dallas, as his contract has expired. While Tolzien has been an essential teacher to veteran signal-caller Dak Prescott, Schottenheimer and company are allowing him to move on with his coaching career.

“#Cowboys QBs coach Scott Tolzien, whose contract has expired, is expected to move on from Dallas, source said,” Rapoport posted on X. “A talented QB tutor who coached Dak Prescott during his MVP runner-up season, Tolzien should resurface soon.”

As Rapoport alluded to, Tolzien will likely be able to find work with a different franchise over the course of the offseason. Regardless, it’s a surprise he’s being let-go so unceremoniously, but the Cowboys’ offseason as a whole has been something to gawk at, shocking the football world at each turn.

Moving forward, Schottenheimer will replace Mike McCarthy, who was the Cowboys’ head coach from 2020-24. The Cowboys officially parted ways with McCarthy on Jan. 13, after he failed to lead the team to the playoffs. During McCarthy’s four years at the helm of the organization, the Cowboys posted a 49-35 record and a 1-3 mark in the postseason.

The Cowboys initially hired Schottenheimer as a consultant in 2022. However, he was promoted to offensive coordinator on Feb. 4, 2023. Now, Schottenheimer will take the final step on the staff ladder and have a chance to lead the Cowboys.

The Cowboys averaged 328.4 yards per game this past season under Schottenheimer’s guidance. While the figure still ranked in the top half of the league, the Cowboys were at a disadvantage, with key offensive players like QB Dak Prescott and wide receiver Brandin Cooks missing large chunks of the season due to injury.

A more telling representation of Schottenheimer’s success as offensive coordinator was the Cowboys’ 2023 campaign when they averaged 371.6 yards per game, the fifth-most in the NFL. Now, Schottenheimer will have a chance to build on the promising flashes he’s shown.

One thing is for certain, Scott Tolzien won’t play a role in Dallas any longer. Perhaps he’ll pop back up if Mike McCarthy receives the New Orleans Saints’ gig, as he’s been linked to the opening since his departure from the Cowboys.

— On3’s Grant Grubbs contributed to this article.