It isn't a secret that the Dallas Cowboys' decision to hire head coach Brian Schottenheimer has received a mixed reception.
Some fans are willing to see what Schottenheimer can do under the spotlight after the Mike McCarthy era produced one playoff win in five seasons. Conversely, other fans wanted the Cowboys to target a coach with a proven track record to help end the franchise's near-30-year Super Bowl drought.
As interesting as it would've been to see someone like Bill Belichick or Mike Vrabel in the Lone Star State, former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant has just revealed who he would've hired instead of Schottenheimer.
Dez Bryant Wanted Tony Romo as Cowboys Head Coach
Bryant has been in New Orleans this week in the lead-up to Super Bowl 59. The three-time Pro Bowl WR sat down with CBS Sports' Maggie Gray and Andrew Perloff to discuss former teammate Tony Romo and how the retired quarterback should be coaching the Cowboys.
"I need to see (Romo) coaching," Bryant said. "He should be the coach of the Dallas Cowboys if anybody. At least the offensive coordinator... He's a smart guy."
“Tony Romo should be the head coach of the Cowboys, if anybody. At least the offensive coordinator.”@DezBryant says he thinks the Cowboys should have hired his former teammate as Dallas head coach
— Andrew Perloff (@andrewperloff) February 7, 2025
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Romo spent his entire 13-year NFL career with the Cowboys, becoming one of the franchise's biggest fan favorites in the process. Seven of those seasons were played alongside Bryant, who turned 462 receptions into 6,621 receiving yards and 67 touchdowns in 97 games during that stretch.
In other words, it isn't surprising to see Bryant advocating for his former QB.
Since retiring from football in 2017, Romo has gone on to enjoy a successful broadcasting career. Even though the Cowboys' all-time passing leader's commentary isn't for everyone, he's often praised for his insight as a former NFL signal-caller — especially when he correctly predicts play calls, earning him the nickname "Romostradamus."
It'd be interesting to see how Romo would perform behind an NFL bench. There's no denying his incredible mind for football, however, that doesn't guarantee he'd make a good head coach or even coordinator. CBS is also reportedly paying him $17 million per season, which is more than any head coach not named Andy Reid ($20 million) or Sean Payton ($18 million).
It's hard to imagine him giving up that salary, especially when an NFL team likely won't want to pay a similar amount for a head coach who's never coached any level of football.
Much like all other Schottenheimer doubters, Bryant must accept the reality of Dallas' coaching situation and hope for the best. Perhaps one day Romo will take a shot at coaching for the franchise that drafted him; it just won't happen any time soon.
In the meantime, the Cowboys will head into the remainder of the NFL offseason tied for the 20th-best Super Bowl 60 odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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