Stephen A Smith addresses Brian Schottenheimer's Super Bowl hopes for Cowboys: 'He's giving me no ammunition'

Nearly three decades have passed since the Dallas Cowboys won a Super Bowl. It’s something the franchise has let hang over its head as coaches come and go. Brian Schottenheimer might be a little different, though, at least from a mindset standpoint.

Schottenheimer is not going to let the championship drought be a factor during his tenure. Instead, the new Dallas head coach is going to focus on achieving whatever it takes to win a Super Bowl. Even the biggest national Cowboys hater, Stephen A. Smith, respects how Schottenheimer is approaching the topic.

“He makes more sense than any Dallas Cowboys coach I know,” Smith said on First Take on Wednesday. “I mean, I sat there listening to Brian Schottenheimer and I’m like, ‘That’s a smart thing to say.’ I agree with him. There’s nothing phony about it. There’s nothing off-putting about it or eccentric about what he had to say. Simple and plain. ‘We want to win a Super Bowl. We don’t hide from that but damn, it’s been 29 years. I hope we win a Super Bowl but if we don’t, we’ll go back to the drawing board and come back and try it again.’ Well, damn, what am I gonna say about that? He’s giving me no ammunition.”

Usually, ammunition is all Smith has when talking about the Cowboys. Whether comments from Jerry Jones or players, Smith is quick to make fun of what happens on any given Thursday, Sunday, or Monday. ESPN’s First Take spends a whole lot of time talking about America’s Team.

But when specifically talking about Schottenheimer’s approach to helping the Cowboys win a Super Bowl, Smith can do nothing but applaud. Schottenheimer can work a press conference quite well, impressing even some of the franchise’s biggest critics.

Dallas will begin its journey to a potential Super Bowl on NFL opening night, facing off against bitter NFC East rival, the Philadelphia Eagles. Lincoln Financial Field will get another Super Bowl banner to hang, something you know is a thorn in the side of everyone associated with the Cowboys.

Schottenheimer has a four-year contract after being hired this offseason. If the Cowboys are not the final team standing in 2025, they will go again in 2026. Through some soul-crushing defeats, previous head coaches let those linger into the following seasons. Things appear to be a little different under Schottenheimer, at least based on words said before the first official game under his watch.