Brian Schottenheimer says Cowboys don’t need Micah Parsons to win a championship, 'We’re not going to win a championship with just one person’

The Dallas Cowboys shook the NFL landscape just one week before their season opener by trading All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers. The deal sent shockwaves across the league, stripping Dallas of their defensive cornerstone in exchange for Kenny Clark and two future first-round picks.

While fans scrambled for answers, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer stepped in to justify the move — and he didn't hold back.

‘The standard is the standard’: Inside Dallas’ unanimous call and what changes now

Schottenheimer said the decision was aligned across the building. He called it “unanimous from top to bottom,” echoing ownership’s stance that this was strategic, not personal. He added, “This was not something that we just stumbled upon and said, ‘Yeah, let’s do this.’ It was well thought out.”

The focus, per Schottenheimer, is on building a roster that holds up in January, not centering everything on one star.Asked how the trade squares with championship expectations, Schottenheimer did not hedge. “Nothing has changed,” he said. “My goals haven’t changed. Our team goals haven’t changed… The standard is the standard.” He reinforced the same message to players in meetings and phone calls after the deal.

Schottenheimer also framed the shift as a bet on depth

“I would say Micah is an incredible player… Nobody disputes that. He’s a great player, but this is the ultimate team game… we’re not going to win a championship with just one person,” Schottenheimer said. “It’s going to take variations of the 69 guys plus that we have on this roster.” Dallas believes its edge group can hold up by committee while the middle of the defense gets heavier and more disruptive.The return backs that plan. Dallas added three-time Pro Bowler Kenny Clark and two future first-round picks.

Internally, Clark is viewed as the centerpiece. Schottenheimer said, “Quite honestly, if Kenny Clark’s not in this deal, it may or may not happen.” The club expects Clark’s interior power next to Osa Odighizuwa to raise the floor of the run defense, an area opponents targeted. The added cap flexibility and draft ammo give Dallas options to keep upgrading during the season if needed.Leadership was addressed head-on. Schottenheimer said he contacted a dozen-plus players, including Dak Prescott and Trevon Diggs, to set tone and expectations. He does not view the move as a setback in the locker room. The message to veterans like Dante Fowler and to younger pieces such as Mazi Smith was clear: step in, play to role, and keep the standard.