‘Greatness starts with this’ – Michael Irvin praises Brian Schottenheimer’s decision ahead of 2026 Dallas Cowboys season
The Dallas Cowboys head coach is leveraging the team’s rich history of standout players through “Legends Day.” And Michael Irvin believes it’s the kind of decision that kickstarts football greatness.
Dallas Cowboys OTAs kick off on Monday, but head coach Brian Schottenheimer is already working on building unity on the locker room. And to do so, he’s even turning to franchise legends.
On Thursday, the Cowboys held “Legends Day,” in which multiple franchise icons visited The Star in Frisco, Texas to share “stories, insights, and guidance” to the current roster. According to Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin, it’s the kind of experience that kind help a team achieve greatness.
Irvin praises Schottenheimer’s approach with Cowboys legends
Speaking to reporters, Irvin shared his feelings on Legends Day and the impact he believes it can have on the 2026 Cowboys.
“I absolutely love the fact that Coach Schottenheimer encourages this, just the cross-pollinization of eras so we can pass on thoughts or whatever, provide any kind of help, answer any questions the young men need, or just tell them what the team means to us,” Irvin said. “Then we hear what it means to them and try to find that harmony and that family unity.”
“I think all greatness starts with this,” Irvin added. “Becoming a family first. Because only football families win championships. Football teams and organizations, it’s too hard for them.”
Last year, Schottenheimer admitted it was also a mindset thing. He views being around Super Bowl winners and not hiding from the team’s history as motivation for his team.
“I think the more those guys are around, the more we see their Super Bowl rings, which they wear very proudly, I think that’s great for our guys because that’s why we do it,” Schottenheimer said following 2025’s Legends Day. “We don’t hide from that.”
Other former Cowboys on Legends Day
Irvin was joined, among others, by Daryl “Moose” Johnson, Timmy Newsome, Drew Pearson, Darren Woodson, and Bob Lilly.
While the main focus was team unity, coach Schottenheimer also wanted Cowboys legends to share insights into their past success to current players, according to “Moose” Johnson.
“One of the things that (coach Schottenheimer) wanted everybody to do was make sure you share some of the inside secrets and some of the things that you felt made you successful during your career,” Johnson said.
When Schottenheimer was hired as Cowboys head coach last year, he immediately said his strength was all about working with people. Leveraging the team’s rich history of standout football players is only an example of it. The coaching staff he’s built around him is another.
Now, we wait to see the kind of impact it can all make on his second year running the show in Dallas.