It is the dawn of a new era in Dallas Cowboys football, or so we are to believe. With Brian Schottenheimer taking over as head coach, he has been afforded something his predecessor Mike McCarthy was never seriously given in the end with job security.

So “Big Mike” lieutenant Brian Schottenheimer is the new Cowboys coach … while McCarthy is left sitting out a year until he gets another crack on the NFL Coach Carousel.

After the Dallas Cowboys didn’t reach an agreement to retain coach Mike McCarthy, owner Jerry Jones chose a successor from within and promoted offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to head coach, in a move that would have been seen as stunning as recently as a few days ago.