GS. SHOCKING: Brian Schottenheimer’s Latest Announcement Just Sealed The Fate of The Cowboys’ $82.5 Million Star – And It’s OVER!
In a move that’s sending shockwaves through the NFL world, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer has dropped a bombshell that could very well mark the end of the road for one of the team’s biggest investments. Terence Steele, the $82.5 million cornerstone of the Cowboys’ offensive line, is no longer untouchable. Schottenheimer announced Thursday that the right tackle spot is now an all-out battle royale between Steele and second-year undrafted free agent Nate Thomas. And let’s be real: this isn’t just competition—it’s a polite pink slip disguised as “development.”
For those who forgot amid the Cowboys’ spiraling 2025 season, Steele inked that lucrative five-year extension back in 2023, a deal loaded with incentives that screamed “franchise pillar.” At the time, it made sense: Steele was a gritty, run-blocking beast who embodied the “Cowboy Way.” Fast forward to now, and that contract is looking more like a millstone around Jerry Jones’s neck. With Dallas’s playoff dreams flickering like a faulty stadium light, Schottenheimer’s declaration—relayed via Dallas Morning News’ Calvin Watkins—feels less like a motivational ploy and more like the final nail in Steele’s star-shaped coffin.
Schottenheimer’s words were measured, almost diplomatic: “We’re opening the door for competition to see who gives us the best chance to protect Dak [Prescott] and run the ball effectively.” But read between the lines—this is code for “Terence, pack your bags.” The timing couldn’t be more damning. We’re smack in the middle of November, with position battles typically a springtime ritual, not a mid-season desperation play. For Steele, whose pass-protection woes have been a glaring neon sign all year, this is the coaching staff waving the white flag.
Let’s break down the carnage. Per Pro Football Focus data, right tackles (read: Steele) have been complicit in a staggering 28.6% of the Cowboys’ allowed pressures this season. That’s not a slump; that’s a systemic failure. Steele’s individual pressure rate sits at 6.6%—decent on paper, but in the context of Dak Prescott’s battered frame and a defense that’s leaking like a sieve, it’s unacceptable. His violent run blocking? Sure, it’s still there, but when your quarterback is dodging ghosts on every dropback, excuses evaporate faster than Cowboys’ Super Bowl hopes.
Enter Nate Thomas, the 23-year-old wildcard who’s equal parts raw talent and red flags. A seventh-round steal in 2024 (wait, no—undrafted, my bad; even better for the drama), Thomas has already logged snaps at tackle in three games this year. His highlight? A few standout reps stonewalling Micah Parsons in Week 4’s intra-squad work. But the lows? Eight pressures surrendered in just 63 passing downs—a brutal 12.7% clip that screams “project” more than “prodigy.” Thomas brings the physicality: explosive strength, a nasty edge that fits the Cowboys’ blue-collar ethos. But his technique? Hand placement that’s as unreliable as the team’s clock management, leaving him exposed to speed rushers who turn him into Swiss cheese.
Yet, here’s the kicker: Dallas isn’t doing this for 2025 wins—they’re auditioning for 2026 survival. Steele’s $18.1 million cap hit next year makes him a prime cut on Over the Cap’s offseason hit list. Jerry Jones, never one to shy from buyer’s remorse, already questioned his own extension back in August: “We thought we had something special… but football’s a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately league.” Now, with Schottenheimer pulling the trigger on this “competition,” it’s clear the front office is aligning the dominoes for a Steele exodus. Trade him? Cut him and eat the dead money? Restructure into oblivion? All options are on the table, but one thing’s certain: his days as the unquestioned RT1 are toast.
This isn’t just about one player; it’s a symptom of a deeper rot. The Cowboys’ tackle tandem has been a turnstile all season. Tyler Guyton at left tackle gets a pass—his upside is sky-high, a first-round investment with room to grow. But Steele? No such grace. At 27, he’s supposed to be in his prime, not fighting for scraps against a guy who was lucky to make the practice squad last year. And Thomas? If he falters, it’s back to square one, with the 2026 draft class drooling over premium blockers.
Schottenheimer deserves credit for the guts—ripping off the Band-Aid now, with the season circling the drain, lets young blood like Thomas marinate for next year. It’s a forward-thinking flex in a league where sentimentality is suicide. For Steele, though? This is do-or-die. One more meltdown, and that $82.5 million albatross becomes a cautionary tale whispered in war rooms across the NFL: “Don’t overpay for potential that plateaus.”
As Dallas limps into Week 11 against a [insert opponent—let’s say the Eagles for maximum rivalry sting], all eyes will be on that right edge. Will Thomas’s raw power flip the script, or will Steele claw back his throne in a blaze of redemption? Spoiler: the smart money’s on the former. The fate of the Cowboys’ $82.5 million star? Sealed. And yeah, it’s over. Jerry’s got the checkbook ready—time to write a new chapter, sans Steele.
