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Todd Archer
FRISCO, Texas — As Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer closes in on finalizing his staff, he is expected to add Ken Dorsey, the former offensive coordinator with the Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns, as a pass-game specialist, a source told ESPN on Monday.
Dorsey was fired by the Browns last month after Cleveland ranked 28th in total offense and 32nd in scoring. In 2023, he was the Bills’ offensive coordinator but was let go during the season.
Dorsey will have an on-field role with the Cowboys, working with Schottenheimer and offensive coordinator Klayton Adams. Chase Haslett was the Cowboys’ pass-game specialist in 2024 under coach Mike McCarthy after working with the tight ends from 2020 to 2023.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski turned over playcalling duties to Dorsey days after Deshaun Watson suffered a season-ending right Achilles tendon tear Oct. 20. With Jameis Winston inserted as the starter and Dorsey calling plays, the offense showed some improvement as the Browns upset the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.
But Winston was benched after throwing eight interceptions in three games. Cleveland started 2023 fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson in Weeks 16 and 17. Bailey Zappe, whom the team signed off the practice squad in October, started the season finale.
Schottenheimer will call plays in his first year as the Cowboys’ head coach. He has not called plays full time since he was the Seattle Seahawks‘ offensive coordinator from 2018 to 2020. Russell Wilson threw 106 touchdown passes in their three seasons together with just 25 interceptions.
Steve Shimko is the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach after he spent last year as an offensive assistant/quality control coach under McCarthy. Shimko, who was the offensive coordinator at Boston College in 2023, worked with Schottenheimer for two years in Seattle.
The Cowboys have hired two coaches with college roots. Junior Adams, who was Oregon‘s co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach, will coach the Cowboys’ receivers while Conor Riley, Kansas State‘s former offensive line coach, will run the offensive line.
ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi contributed to this report.