Brian Schottenheimer knows he faces a major challenge with the Dallas Cowboys, but one of his first priorities will be fixing the team’s ongoing penalty issues — a problem that continues to impact their performance every NFL season.
Recently, Schottenheimer addressed the issue, saying certain types of penalties are simply unacceptable, and that the team already has a plan in place to correct those mistakes heading into the upcoming season.
“There’s all types of penalties — presnap, self-inflicted wounds — those are unacceptable,” Schottenheimer said. “I don’t condone that. We’ll have more discipline than that. That will be coached. The ones we can control, we need to.”
How bad were the Cowboys when it came to penalties last season?
The Cowboys were flagged a total of 128 times during the 2024 NFL season. While they weren’t the most penalized team in the league, the constant setbacks took a toll on a roster already dealing with significant injuries. Dallas finished with the fourth-most penalties in the league last year.
Archive: Tyler Guyton #OL31 of Oklahoma participates in a drill during the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 03, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
One of the biggest offenders was Guyton, who led the team with 100 yards lost on penalties. He was flagged 18 times and officially charged with 14 penalties. Micah Parsons ranked second on the team with 9 flags for a total of 40 yards lost.
Who led the NFL in flags during the 2024 season?
That dubious honor was shared by Laremy Tunsil and Jawaan Taylor, who were each flagged 19 times, edging out Guyton for the league lead. Taylor gave up 115 yards, while Tunsil lost 95 yards — and also finished with the most penalties in the NFL at 17 total.
