It’s a longshot of course, but if the Dallas Cowboys brain trust of Jerry and Stephen Jones did decide sometime soon that hiring a guy–like current coach Brian Schottenheimer–who is big on palling around with and “loving on” (as he likes to say) players, but short on NFL heft as far as his resume and his background go, then there’s at least a chance the team could land his direct opposite. That would be the ever-grimacing Bill Belichick, the sure bet Hall of Famer who was let go by the Patriots after the 2023 season and who has begun to turn around his wayward North Carolina program this season.

Belichick has six Super Bowl rings, and 333 wins as an NFL head coach. That’s a much different background than Schottenheimer had when he was promoted from offensive coordinator to replace Mike McCarthy before the 2025 season. While there was chatter among the NFL’s observer class that the Cowboys would pursue Belichick to replace McCarthy before that, such a pursuit never really came to fruition.

But if Schottenheimer does not survive this season, could Dallas reconsider and actually make a run at Belichick?

Bill Belichick Could Want Back in the NFL

That’s the theory that was floated over at 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Monday, following the 23-13 loss to the Packers on Sunday that sent the Cowboys’ record to a measly 2-4 and dropped Schottenheimer to 9-13-1 as a head coach.

Former Cowboys scout Bryan Broaddus raised the topic on the station, pointing out that UNC is 4-2 this season and saying, “Belichick has actually got North Carolina playing well. And now, is it one of those situations where it is like a way to get Bill back in the league?”

Bill Belichick a ‘Best-Case Scenario for Cowboys Fans’

The station’s Gavin Dawson weighed in on the possibility, noting that the Cowboys and Jerry Jones have long had an affinity for Belichick.

Said Dawson: “It might be best-case scenario if you’re a Cowboys fan, if they moved on from Schotty. All the things that we’ve talked about … over the years, the criteria what a guy has to have and make habits out of for Jerry to hire him. I think Belichick would be best-case scenario.

“He’s probably outdated. I would worry. He was doing weird bits with his coaching staff at the end with the Patriots. It seemed like he just made it his own little coaching club. But to Bryan’s point, he is getting results with it.”  

Cowboys Backing Brian Schottenheimer

Now, we are still a long way from Schottenheimer getting fired, and a much longer way from the Cowboys pursuing Belichick, whose program has been dinged by scandals and resignations in his first two years. As a thought exercise, it’s interesting. As a reality … well, the chances are slim.

Just Monday, Stephen Jones was on the radio offering support to Schottenheimer when asked if the team remains committed to the coach: “Absolutely. There’s not any question in Jerry and I’s mind the team, he has the team, there’s no question they want to go out there and execute and make things happen and I feel really good about our coaching staff, we just have to continue to have it evolve and get to a point where we can win these football games.”

Any coaching change is a long way off. But there are certainly some interesting contingencies that could be dreamed up.