Brian Schottenheimer has done a solid job fleshing out his coaching staff as he heads into his first season as the Dallas Cowboys head coach. Although the 51-year-old HC has yet to lead an NFL bench, Schottenheimer has surrounded himself with talented minds — Klayton Adams, Matt Eberflus, etc. — to ensure the 2025 campaign goes as smoothly as possible.
Having said that, not all of Schottenheimer's targets accepted an offer to join his staff — including one former Cowboy who's just been hired by an NFC contender.
Cowboys News: Tashard Choice Joins Lions Coaching Staff
On Thursday, On3's Eric Nahlin reported that former Cowboys running back Tashard Choice "will leave Texas for a role on Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions staff." The former Dallas 2008 fourth-rounder spent the last three seasons coaching running backs at the University of Texas.
Sources: Texas RBs coach Tashard Choice will leave Texas for a role on Dan Campbell's Detroit Lions staff, per @EricNahlin and @justinwells2424
— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) February 13, 2025
FREE story: https://t.co/WNgOvbRn9m pic.twitter.com/ncjQnYSLcf
Choice's decision to join the Lions is bound to ruffle some Cowboys' fans feathers.
After all, it was only last month when the Jonesboro, GA native was in contention to join Schottenheimer's staff as the RBs coach. Despite having an interview with the Cowboys, Choice chose to stay with the Longhorns because he's "making too much" to consider any sort of pay cut, according to DLLS Sports' Clarence Hill Jr.
Choice, 40, was drafted 122nd overall by the Cowboys in 2008 before playing four seasons in the Lone Star State. His NFL journey took him to stops in Washington, Buffalo, and Indianapolis before walking away from the sport in 2014.
It didn't take long for Choice to begin his coaching career, joining the Cowboys as an intern for the 2016 campaign. After spending the 2017 and 2018 seasons as a North Texas graduate and running backs coach, respectively, he returned to his Alma Mater — Georgia Tech — to coach RBs from 2019 to 2021 before taking on the same role with the Longhorns (2022-24).
Although some Cowboys fans will wish Choice nothing but the best, the recent development is bound to sting. The fact that he rejected Dallas' offer only to join Detroit indicates that either 1) the Cowboys' offer was lackluster or 2) America's Team isn't that attractive of a destination after the last 30 years.
Regardless, it'll be interesting to see what the former Cowboys RB can do in an NFL role. Joining the Lions reunites Choice with 2024 rushing touchdowns leader Jahmyr Gibbs, who spent two seasons under the former during his time at Georgia Tech (2020-21).
Dallas fans won't have to wait long to see the results of Choice's work. The NFL has already revealed that the Lions will be one of the Cowboys' road opponents in 2025, leaving time to tell how that reunion will unfold.