Stephen A. Smith suggested that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones should fire head coach Brian Schottenheimer and hire former New York Jets coach Rex Ryan. He made the suggestion on ESPN’s First Take on Nov. 2, which was one day after the Cowboys lost 33-30 to the Arizona Cardinals.

“If I’m Jerry Jones, I call ESPN right now trying to pluck Rex Ryan from this job with four days preparation, that man will do a better job,” Smith said.

Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin, who was also part of the discussion, was equally unhappy with the Cowboys’ performance.

“There is no such thing as lower than this, or worse. They are the worst. So, anybody, my dead mom can coach them better,” Irvin said.

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NFL fans shared their takes in the comments section.

One fan said Ryan would probably not agree to work under Jerry Jones.

“It’ll never happen because I’m pretty confident Rex Ryan isn’t a puppet and that’s the only coach Jerry wants,” the fan wrote.

“Rex Ryan. He is 61-66 as a head coach and nobody has hired him in the last 10 years except ESPN. Does that tell you anything at all?” wrote another fan.

A third fan commented, “Rex Ryan?? Over Mike Tomlin? Stephen A is a clown (emoji inserted).”

More NFL fans shared their opinions.

“Fire a bad coach to hire another bad coach?”

“ESPN truly has the most idiotic people on these shows.”

“Better advice to JJ: Sell the team and let a competent owner run it. Can’t do much worse. No self respecting coach would take that job, given JJ’s need to interfere and take credit. If you can’t win with Tuna, you can’t win!”

Rex Ryan spent more than 20 years coaching in the NFL, winning one Super Bowl as an assistant coach with the Baltimore Ravens. He later became head coach of the New York Jets and Buffalo Bills, finishing with a 61-66 regular-season record and a 4-2 playoff record. Ryan led the Jets to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in 2009 and 2010 before coaching the Bills from 2015 to 2016.

The Cowboys are now 3-5 through Week 8 of the 2026 NFL season and will try to get back on track in their next game.

Dallas will travel to face the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9. The game is scheduled for Nov. 8.

Dak Prescott defends Brian Schottenheimer as Jerry Jones supports Cowboys coach

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has spoken out in defense of head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

When asked about people blaming Schottenheimer for the team’s struggles, Prescott said the entire team should take responsibility instead of putting everything on the head coach.

“It’s all of us. Don’t put the blame on one person. I think that’s weak. I think that’s cowardly,” Prescott said.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters after Cowboys’ Nov. 1 loss, Jerry Jones said an in-season coaching change is not in his “mind at this time.”

On Nov. 3, Jones also addressed criticism that he prefers hiring less expensive coaches instead of paying top money for well-known coaching candidates.

“There is zero correlation between how much you pay a coach or how many coaches you have as to winning. There is no correlation. And that’s a random sample of years and all 32 teams involved. So put that in your hopper and smoke it,” Jerry Jones said on Dallas-Fort Worth sports radio station 105.3 The Fan.

Brian Schottenheimer was hired as the 10th head coach of the Dallas Cowboys on January 24, 2025. He was promoted to head coach following the departure of Mike McCarthy.

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