Brian Schottenheimer is turning to a familiar face in an effort to improve his struggling defense. On Monday, Schottenheimer announced the hiring of Mike Pettine as the Cowboys' new senior defensive assistant. Pettine, 60, worked alongside Schottenheimer when they were both coordinators under Rex Ryan with the New York Jets.
In both 2009 and 2010, Pettine's defense helped the Jets get within a game of the Super Bowl. During those playoff runs, Pettine's defense defeated offenses led by quarterbacks such as Carson Palmer, Philip Rivers, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Pettine also has experience working with Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker.
Pettine actually gave Parker his first NFL job in 2019 when Pettine was entering his second season as the Green Bay Packers' defensive coordinator. (On a related note, the Cowboys face the Packers this weekend at Lambeau Field.) "He's gonna be here in a role to support everything that CP is leading and guiding," Schottenheimer said of the hire. Pettine's NFL background also includes two years as the Cleveland Browns' head coach during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. He most recently served as the Minnesota Vikings' assistant head coach/outside linebackers coach.
Schottenheimer shared that the idea of a senior defensive assistant was initially raised when Parker was tabbed as defensive coordinator. They had two potential coaches in mind to fill that role, but they decided not to immediately fill the position when those situations did not come to fruition. That position will now be filled by Pettine, a former high school head coach who broke into the NFL in 2002 with the Baltimore Ravens.
Pettine has coached and worked alongside a slew of notable defensive players in the NFL, including Hall of Famers Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Darrelle Revis. "I think Pett's experience, not only in football, but his experience in this system of what we do," Schottheimer said. "His understanding of the 3-4 family.
He has the awareness of some of our players: Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary. He was the coordinator when CP was there. So, I think it's just a great fit and just a guy who certainly brings a bunch of experience to the staff, myself included." Pettine's addition obviously can't hurt what has statistically been one of the NFL's worst defensive units through the season's first five weeks.
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