Jerry Jones Addresses Stance on Coaching Changes amid Schottenheimer Buzz with Cowboys at 2-4

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones offered more insight into the decision to bring aboard Mike Pettine to serve as a senior assistant to defensive coordinator Christian Parker while speaking to reporters on Wednesday.

"[Pettine] had a background with our coordinators and was with us in the spring," he noted. "It fit. He wanted to come help. That's a pretty significant qualifier for somebody that has that kind of background with everybody involved. So, it was as much about his uniqueness as it was about what we wanted to do to help us play better."

On Monday, executive vice president Stephen Jones made it clear that head coach Brian Schottenheimer—who has a 9-13-1 record in his second season as head coach—still has the full support of ownership.

"Absolutely. There's not any question in Jerry's and I's mind," he said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas. "He has the team. There's no question they want to go out there and execute and make things happen. We feel really good... about our coaching staff. We just have to continue to evolve and get to a point where we can win these football games."

The Cowboys are just 2-4 to start the 2026 season, in large part due to a defense that ranks 25th in points allowed (26.5 PPG) and 30th in yards allowed (382.5 YPG). As the Cowboys continue to adjust to first-year defensive coordinator Christian Parker and his scheme, more additions could be coming to that side of the ball.

"I'll be real clear: I would be active if we could get a chance to help the team this year," Jones told reporters. "That's important."

Given that the NFC East is wide open this season—only the New York Giants (3-2-1) have a winning record in the division—Dallas' slow start hasn't buried its playoff aspirations just yet.

"It gives me a lot of promise," Jones said. "I see opportunity. And I see it legitimately because I know the things that we have the potential to do, both with our talent, both our schemes, adjustments I've seen us do in the spring—the kinds of adjustments that you might want to do between the halves."

The Cowboys still have four more games against divisional opponents, including Sunday's matchup against the injury-ravaged Philadelphia Eagles. It may be too early to declare it a must-win contest for Dallas, but losing against a Birds team featuring its backup quarterback while missing a slew of starters wouldn't be a great sign.