Cowboys' Next Head Coach Odds Have Shocking New Favorite

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is the betting favorite to be named the team's next head coach.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is the favorite to be named the team's next head coach. / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

Could the Dallas Cowboys promote a coach from within to take over for Mike McCarthy?

According to the latest odds from FanDuel Sportsbook, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is the odds on favorite (-180) to be named Dallas’ next head coach. 

This comes shortly after University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders was favored to lead Dallas last week. 

Dallas missed the playoffs in the 2024 regular season, partially due to an injury to star quarterback Dak Prescott, and it subsequently decided to part ways with Mike McCarthy, who had reached the end of his contract with the franchise. 

Cowboys Next Head Coach Odds Have Brian Schottenheimer as Favorite

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

• Brian Schottenheimer: -180
• Kellen Moore: +250
• Robert Saleh: +470
• Kliff Kingsbury: +500
• Deion Sanders: +650
• Ben Johnson: +750

Based on these odds, Schottenheimer has an implied probability of 64.29 percent to earn the Cowboys' head coaching gig. It certainly would be a surprising move since he was not listed in the original odds to be named the head coach. 

Not only that, but the Cowboys moved on from head coach Mike McCarthy, so deciding to promote someone from his staff would be a curious move – especially since it seemed at one time that Dallas was interested in keeping McCarthy after his contract expired following the 2024 regular season. 

ESPN’s Adam Schefter recently poured some cold water on the idea that Dallas would hire Schottenheimer to lead the franchise, saying to the best of his knowledge that he hadn’t interviewed for the job yet. 

Adam Schefter on @PatMcAfeeShow talking about Brian Schottenheimer and the Dallas Cowboys:

"I think Brian Schottenheimer is the favorite in Las Vegas here. Now that doesn't mean that Brian Schottenheimer isn't going to be the head coach at some point in time. We never rule out…

— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) January 20, 2025

Schottenheimer spent the past two seasons as Dallas’ offensive coordinator. Prior to that, he had held positions as the OC for the Seattle Seahawks, then-St. Louis Rams and New York Jets. 

In the 2023 season under Schottenheimer, Dallas had the No. 1 scoring offense and finished fifth in offensive yards. They took a step back without Prescott in the 2024 season, but Dallas still finished 11th in passing yards and 13th in passing touchdowns.

Ironically, the No. 2 coach in the odds is Kellen Moore, who was the OC for Dallas prior to Schottenheimer. Moore held that position from the 2019 season through the 2022 season before joining the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2023 campaign. This season, he’s the offensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles, who are in the NFC championship game against another NFC East squad in the Washington Commanders. 

The Eagles had the No. 2 rushing offense in the 2024 regular season and finished in the top 10 in points scored and yards gained.

It seems like oddsmakers are expecting Jerry Jones to hire a familiar face to lead Dallas, but a lot could change in the coming weeks. Moore wouldn’t be able to be hired until the end of Philly’s season, so it’s possible this could be dragged out until after the Super Bowl if Jones truly has Moore as one of his top candidates.

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Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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