Two-Time Super Bowl Champion Jimmy Johnson Tells Cowboys Coach Brian Schottenheimer the One Thing That Matters Most: “Stay Healthy”

In the long, storied history of the Dallas Cowboys, few figures carry more weight than Jimmy Johnson. The architect of two Super Bowl championships in the early 1990s, Johnson remains a pillar of football wisdom and legacy. So, when the legendary coach speaks, Cowboys Nation listens — and that includes the man now tasked with leading “America’s Team,” offensive-minded head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

In a recent in-house interview published by the Cowboys, Johnson cut through the noise with a message that was as simple as it was profound. His advice? “Stay. Healthy.”

That two-word directive might seem overly basic in a sport defined by complex playbooks, meticulous film sessions, and evolving offensive schemes. But for Johnson, the point couldn’t be more essential. And given the Cowboys’ recent history, it resonates deeply.

“You can scheme all day long,” Johnson said, leaning back in his signature Miami drawl. “But if your key guys ain’t on the field, you’re playing catch-up. You’ve already lost ground.”

He’s not wrong. The Cowboys, as talented as any team in the NFL on paper, have repeatedly been derailed by injuries — particularly at the quarterback position. Twice in the last five seasons, Dallas’ dreams of deep playoff runs crumbled when Dak Prescott went down with serious injuries.

In 2020, it was a gruesome ankle fracture that ended Prescott’s season in Week 5. Dallas stumbled to a 6-10 record under a carousel of backup quarterbacks. Then again in 2024, a shoulder injury in Week 3 once again left the team scrambling. The result? A disappointing 7-10 season and another missed playoff berth.

But when Dak is healthy, the story changes dramatically. Since taking the reins in 2016, Prescott has led the Cowboys to five playoff appearances in seven full seasons. He’s won two division titles and posted a 66% win percentage as a starter. His leadership, poise, and ability to extend plays have made him one of the most valuable quarterbacks in the league — when available.

That’s the key. And it’s why Johnson’s advice hits home.

“You can talk about talent, coaching, free agency, whatever,” Johnson said. “But in this league, health is everything. I don’t care if you have Joe Montana back there — if he’s in a sling, he ain’t winning you no ballgames.”

Current head coach Brian Schottenheimer, now in his second year at the helm after being promoted from offensive coordinator, took the message to heart. Known for his deep NFL roots — his father, Marty Schottenheimer, was a coaching legend in his own right — Brian has emphasized durability and conditioning since taking over.

In his opening press conference this offseason, Schottenheimer made it clear: “We’ve got a talented roster, and we’ve got goals. But none of it means anything if our best guys can’t stay on the field. It’s priority number one.”

Behind the scenes, the Cowboys have invested heavily in injury prevention. From overhauling the strength and conditioning program to implementing new health tech that monitors strain and workload in real time, the franchise is all-in on reducing soft-tissue injuries and promoting recovery. Players now wear GPS trackers during practice to help trainers and coaches understand their movement patterns and exertion levels.

“We’ve learned from the past,” Schottenheimer said in a training camp presser. “You don’t just show up and hope guys stay healthy. You have to prepare their bodies every single day to withstand this grind.”

The focus is also psychological. The team brought in a sports psychologist during minicamp to emphasize the mental side of rehab, recovery, and playing through adversity. Prescott himself was a vocal advocate for the change, saying, “When you’ve been through injuries like I have, it’s not just about trusting your body again. It’s about staying mentally strong enough to keep leading, even when it’s hard.”

Prescott’s resilience has never been in question. His comeback from the 2020 injury was inspirational, culminating in a 2021 season where he threw for over 4,400 yards and 37 touchdowns. But even he knows he’s running out of time. At 32, with a history of injuries, the window for a Super Bowl run is narrowing.

“I want that ring,” Prescott told reporters last month. “More than anything. And I know that means taking care of my body like never before. It means not trying to be Superman every play, knowing when to throw it away, when to slide. I’ve learned. Sometimes, less is more.”

That maturation process has been evident in camp. Prescott has reportedly slimmed down, losing close to 10 pounds to reduce strain on his joints. His diet has been revamped, and he’s spent the offseason working with a private biomechanics specialist. Every rep in training is calculated, monitored, and designed to prolong his prime years.

And it’s not just Dak. Pro Bowlers like Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb have followed suit, embracing the team’s new approach to health and longevity. Lamb, in particular, has added more yoga and recovery time to his regimen, hoping to stay explosive deep into December and January.

“Jimmy’s right,” Lamb said. “This game’s brutal. If you’re not obsessed with staying healthy, you’re going to miss out when it matters most.”

For Johnson, the shift is encouraging. Though now more often seen on FOX’s NFL coverage than on the sidelines, he remains a Cowboys lifer at heart. And while he’s not in the locker room, his presence is still felt.

“I’ve seen what happens when the right team stays healthy,” Johnson said, referencing his 1993 squad that went 12-4 and won Super Bowl XXVIII. “We had injuries, sure, but not to Troy [Aikman], not to Emmitt [Smith], not to Michael [Irvin]. That’s why we lifted that trophy.”

His point underscores a harsh NFL reality: most Super Bowl champions are the healthiest teams at the end of the year. Talent gets you to December. Health gets you through January.

It’s a truth that isn’t lost on the 2025 Cowboys. With a stacked roster that includes rising stars like Tyler Smith, DeMarvion Overshown, and the newly re-signed Tony Pollard, Dallas enters the season with one of the league’s deepest lineups. But depth only goes so far. Superstars win Super Bowls.

And to win one — something that has eluded the franchise since 1995 — the Cowboys will need Prescott upright and operating at full capacity.

“That’s why I said what I said,” Johnson repeated. “Stay. Healthy. That’s how you change the narrative. That’s how you get back to the top.”

For Schottenheimer, those words aren’t just advice. They’re a blueprint. A challenge. A mandate.

And if the Cowboys follow it, there’s a real chance that the next time Jimmy Johnson visits The Star, it won’t be for an interview. It’ll be to celebrate the return of the Lombardi Trophy to Dallas.

After nearly three decades of heartbreak, false starts, and “what-ifs,” the formula may finally be as simple as Johnson makes it sound.

Stay. Healthy. Win. Repeat.