First-year Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer has made one thing clear during training camp this month — undisciplined play and in-fighting between players will not be tolerated. A noticeably animated Schottenheimer put his foot down during practice Wednesday, making players — and some of his coaching staff — run sideline to sideline after a couple scuffles during play.
“It’s been a while [since I’ve had to run as punishment], but I felt like that was really necessary,” Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb told media after practice on Tuesday. “Honestly, I like what he’s doing, because we need discipline.”
Lamb gave the non-expletive version of the message Schottenheimer gave to his team following the session, a certain level of passion and focus the Cowboys must obtain to be successful during the 2025 season.
“We need to be able to go through that line, you know what I’m saying?” Lamb said. “We need to have that availability towards the team and then that aggressiveness at the same time to be able to be as mad and fight between the whistles, and then as soon as the whistle is done, we’re gonna line it up again, so I’ll see you next play.
“We need to have that type of energy and not the, ‘We’re gonna get it done right here, right now.’ Shout out Schotty for that but, as for us, we just gotta be the best group that we can [be]. We’ve just got to be able to hone it in like, OK, that’s what we on? Alright, then I’ll see you next play.’
“Then go into the huddle, get your play, line up again, and we’re [gonna] do this again. Once we get to that point, we had that type of energy, be a scary team.”
Lamb acknowledged that the Dallas roster has rarely been an issue, but remaining disciplined throughout the season has been detrimental to success. For a franchise whose last Super Bowl appearance came during the 1995 campaign, Lamb, Schottenheimer and the Cowboys are hoping the upcoming campaign erases many of those postseason failures over the last 30 years.
“We need to continue to keep our foot on the pedal and make the right play, and always think about the team,” Lamb said.
Jerry Jones impressed with Schottenheimer
When the Cowboys owner promoted Schottenheimer from offensive coordinator to coach following the firing of Mike McCarthy this offseason, Jones did so with the expectation that many of the franchise’s principles would remain.
Jones said this week that early returns from Schottenheimer have been grand.
“He’s a gem, he’s a nugget that we rarely see that kind of experience, that kind of input when he was young,” Jones said. “And then turn around and be at the level he is, the age he is, and now then he gets to try it and he’s the coach, and this is the first time for it. I like those bets. I think there’s an extra amount of oomph that you get when it’s the first time.”
Jones said Schottenheimer has encouraged players to play the game with “enthusiasm” and mentioned that his people skills were top-notch.
Maybe that’s why Lamb, Dak Prescott and others welcomed the tough coaching at practice this week and understand that enhanced discipline could pay off in a big way for the Cowboys.
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