Brian Schottenheimer exuded confidence earlier this week when speaking about the expected availability of premier pass rusher Micah Parsons for a Sept. 4 season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Throughout Parsons’ turbulent August, headlined by his soap opera-like contract stalemate with owner and general manager Jerry Jones, Schottenheimer remained steadfast in his conviction that he’d have his premier edge rusher on the field for his first game as Dallas Cowboys head coach.
But Schottenheimer won’t see the three-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler in action until Week 4, when the Green Bay Packers come to Arlington with Super Bowl aspirations.
Schottenheimer’s is eying that end-of-season glory, too — even after Parsons was traded to Green Bay Thursday.
He said he reiterated that ambition Friday when he addressed the team.
“Nothing’s changed. My goals haven’t changed. Our team goals haven’t changed,” Schottenheimer said, via ESPN.com. “I hit the players on that today after I talked about just the tough couple days for all the guys, and it doesn’t change.
“The standard is the standard. I said that. With all the new pieces and people we had in there, I needed to hit the goal, which is to win a world championship. I needed to hit that we also want to build one of the greatest professional sports cultures in the world. That’s part of the deal when you add new pieces, you have to make sure they understand your vision.”
The new piece the Cowboys added Thursday is three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. Dallas also gained two first-round picks — one in 2026 and one in 2027 — except those take a backseat to Clark at the moment.
Jones made it clear in his news conference Thursday that he was targeting a proven run-stopping defensive tackle when shopping Parsons on the trade market.
Clark was in the building Friday, the start of the Cowboys’ game week.
“The positive thing about [the timing of the trade] is we’re into a regular seven-day cycle with Philadelphia,” Schottenheimer said, per ESPN, “and it’s one of those things that now we get to focus on Philly.”
Schottenheimer told reporters that, in addition to the message he delivered to the full team Friday, he also shared conversations with about a dozen players Thursday in the wake of the Parsons trade.
That collection of Cowboys players Schottenheimer called included cornerback Trevon Diggs, one of Parsons closest friends on the team.
“I wanted them to hear my voice,” Schottenheimer said, per The Associated Press. “You never know how guys are going to take news like that.”
Schottenheimer is a first-time head coach, however, the longtime NFL assistant, and son of the late Marty Schottenheimer, knows the league he works in and grew up around like the back of his hand.
It’s a business that won’t wait for anyone who drags their feet. Schottenheimer was preparing for the Eagles with Parsons in mind, and now he’s preparing for the NFC East rival without him on the roster.