Blogging The Boys
The latest news and notes around the Dallas Cowboys.
Brian Schottenheimer wants the Dallas Cowboys to compete every day.
“I see the players responding to it,” Jones said, “and commenting on the authenticity of our (coaching) staff and what they’re about.”
Following a disappointing 7-10 season, the biggest adjustment the Cowboys made was to their coaching staff. Led by new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, there have been noticeable changes around the team’s headquarters in Frisco, Texas.
Music has been blaring throughout practice, several locker assignments have changed and there’s now a ping-pong table in the middle of the locker room.
“We just moved it in there because I want our players to want to be here,” Schottenheimer said. “I love playing ping-pong. They love playing ping-pong. It’s fun to watch these guys compete. It’s fun to watch the interaction with the offense and the defense and watch the s— talking that goes on.”
Schottenheimer has also incorporated regular dinners with players. Some, like the one he recently had with wide receiver George Pickens, are at the Cowboys Club inside The Star. Others are with small groups at restaurants away from the team facility. Schottenheimer said he always takes care of the bill. It’s all part of his plan to “create one of the greatest cultures in professional sports.”
“We do change the menu up a little bit,” he said. “We try to get four or five or six guys together and just go talk about life. Football rarely comes up. We do football all day long. What I want to know is what Javonte (Williams) named his dog. And where does this story come from, and all those things.
“For them to share their stories with their teammates allows them when they’re out there on the field and they’re having a tough day and it’s hot and they’re pushing through a padded practice in Oxnard, they’re able to truly pull together and work together. I think that’s going to help us finish games, finish practices. When you have a tough moment, you have a tough stretch in the season, you work through those problems because they believe in one another and, more importantly, they love one another.”
The Cowboys' second-leading receiver from 2024 is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
Coming off the best season of his career in 2024, Jalen Tolbert comes into his fourth NFL season looking to continue his upwards trend of year after year improvement. To keep that same trajectory, Tolbert’s focused on staying consistent in his offseason preparation.
“Truly sharpening everything,” Tolbert said. “You never want to be stagnant as a wide receiver so just continuing to work every aspect of the...
