Brian Schottenheimer Brings Michael Jordan’s Legendary Work Ethic to Cowboys’ Training Camp
Brian Schottenheimer took over the Dallas Cowboys and immediately made his mark. While he has yet to coach a regular-season game in the NFL, Schottenheimer wasted no time shifting the locker room culture and bringing a much-needed energy to the building.
Throughout the team's offseason program, Schottenheimer has preached the importance of competing every day. No matter where you are on the roster, the goal is to put your best foot forward and fight for your place.
The focus on competing every day is something Schottenheimer learned from his father, the legendary Marty Schottenheimer, but he also saw that from NBA legend Michael Jordan as he was growing up.
Drawing from that inspiration, Schottenheimer brings the Michael Jordan philosophy to Dallas. SI.com's Albert Breer noted the Jordan influence after visiting Cowboys training camp this month.
"I remember Michael Jordan talking about practice all the time—If you practice the right way … and then Kobe [Bryant] adopted it,” Schottenheimer said. "You practice the right way, and games are easy. So we can’t simulate a real game out here like basketball can, because we can’t tackle and things like that, but you can push it, and you can get to the edge.
"We are an excellent, excellent practice team."
There is no denying Schottenheimer has implemented this philsophy in Oxnard. The Cowboys have had very physical, intense practices in the California sun and, while the coaching staff has had their fun, players are being utilized all around the field.
It will be interesting to see if the intense practices pay off in the fall with wins, but for now, the changing culture in Dallas is a welcomed change.
Ravens may have landed hidden gem by nabbing Alohi Gilman in Odafe Oweh trade
The Baltimore Ravens made a shocking trade on Tuesday, dealing outside linebacker Odafe Oweh and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for safety Alohi Gilman and a 2026 fifth-round pick.
The big player in the deal was Oweh, who is coming off a 10-sack season in 2024, but has yet to tally his first sack of 2025. The 26-year-old is also in a contract year, and was likely on his way out of Baltimore by season’s end, so he will get a chance to stand out on one of the better contenders in the AFC as he looks to play into a big-time contract by the time the 2026 offseason rolls around.
With most of the attention on Oweh, Baltimore’s acquisition of Gilman is flying under the radar. He is not a flashy player by any means, but he has been a strong contributor to Los Angeles’ defense throughout his six-year career. Now, he joins a Ravens’ defense that is searching for its identity in the midst of a disastrous start to the 2025 campaign.
Many of the issues that have led to Baltimore having the league’s worst defense through five weeks have been due to the lack of communication. Blown coverages have been a common theme, as they have given up 1,313 passing yards, which is the second-worst mark in the NFL. In Gilman, the Ravens now have themselves an Ar’Darius Washington replacement, which should allow the rest of the secondary to flex their versatile muscles.
Alohi Gilman is an underrated acquisition
Washington played a key role in 2024, helping turn around a defense that was among the worst in the NFL through the first half of the regular season. Since he was thrust onto the starting defense, Baltimore became one of the best units. While the Ravens faced some of the worst offenses down the stretch of that season, the unit looked far more sound, and they could see similar reconstructions with Gilman playing next to rookie safety Malaki Starks.
Gilman has posted a 65.5 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. He has proven to be a starting-caliber safety, and while he has the tendency to blow coverages every now and then, he brings depth to a depleted secondary. Most notably, the move will allow versatile safety Kyle Hamilton to hover around the field and be the dynamic playmaker everyone knows he is capable of being.
