Brian Schottenheimer is not messing around.
The Dallas Cowboys are in their second week of training camp, the first camp that Brian Schottenheimer has been overseeing as head coach. It is difficult to draw a hard conclusion about the Schottenheimer era in this sense given that the sample size is so small, but still some things are rather obvious.
One of those is that the Cowboys are going to have physical practices. Schottenheimer has preached physicality and noted that he wants it to carry over into actual games. While that is the goal, Schotty has also noted there is a limit to it all. Dallas has had a few scuffles break out and Schottenheimer has been specific in mentioning that this will not be tolerated. He has cited the discipline issues that the Cowboys dealt with in the past as part of his justification for an iron fist in this sense.
Wednesday saw that fist rule as things got a bit “physical” and Schottenheimer decided enough was enough. He had the team run to try and nip it in the bud.
Practice was getting chippy again, so Brian Schottenheimer stopped practice, pulled them into a huddle and told them to get on the line.
They’re now running as a punishment. pic.twitter.com/CfE1ByEhyE
— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 30, 2025
You can see that Schottenheimer clearly wants there to be an understanding as far as how far things can be pushed. Given the penalty issues that the Cowboys have dealt with it makes sense to try and hold them more accountable.
Such was particularly the case for Cowboys rookie Ajani Cornelius. He was thrown out of practice altogether for throwing a punch, per ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Brian Schottenheimer wasn’t kidding. OT Ajani Cornelius threw a punch and was kicked out of practice.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 30, 2025
Again, the consequences seem quite clear. Physicality, toughness and all of the football clichés are wanted and encouraged, but you better not take things too far. If you do there will be restrictions placed on the group or perhaps banishment in the case of Cornelius.
CeeDee Lamb spoke on this whole ordeal after the session and echoed what Schottenheimer has been preaching while also citing the discipline issues the Cowboys have dealt with in the past.
Wednesday’s practice was cut short after one early ejection and a number of skirmishes that led Brian Schottenheimer to force the players to run a series of sprints. What was the coach’s message to the team?
CeeDee Lamb: pic.twitter.com/klxowiJ1xT
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) July 30, 2025
Lamb has also seemingly taken on a new leadership role, and these words certainly line up with that idea. He isn’t wrong in noting that the Cowboys have had moments and opportunities for success, but that they have gotten in their own way and that has worked to their detriment.
The Brian Schottenheimer era appears to be very different.