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Dallas Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer says Jake Ferguson remains a major part of the offense, even as the team evaluates changes after Thursday’s costly loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
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Ferguson’s late drop turned a pass from Dak Prescott into an interception during Dallas’ final drive, ending a chance to rally in a 24-16 defeat. The mistake drew scrutiny because the Cowboys were still within reach of forcing a closer finish.
Schottenheimer acknowledged that Ferguson was disappointed, but stressed that the tight end’s role is not being discarded after one difficult performance.
“Jake Ferguson is a big, big part of what we’re building here offensively moving forward,” Schottenheimer said, via The Athletic’s Jon Machota. He added that he had no doubt Ferguson would catch the next ball thrown his way.
Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer when asked about Jake Ferguson’s play and potentially getting Brevyn Spann-Ford more opportunities:
“At the end of the day, everything’s being evaluated. As we look at this process, no one’s sicker than (Ferguson) about (his dropped pass that…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 10, 2026
The coach also made clear that Dallas is reviewing its tight end rotation. Schottenheimer said the Cowboys believe they have three good players at the position, and that performance will shape conversations about roles and opportunities.
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That leaves Luke Schoonmaker and Brevyn Spann-Ford in the picture as Dallas considers whether to spread more work around. Schottenheimer did not announce a specific depth-chart change, however, and his comments stopped short of saying Ferguson would lose his starting job.
Ferguson had three catches for 19 yards against Tampa Bay and has 15 receptions for 102 yards and three touchdowns through five games, according to the Cowboys’ season statistics. His production has been uneven, but the coaching staff’s public message was one of accountability rather than a complete loss of confidence.
Dallas fell to 2-3 with the defeat and now has to respond after a game in which mistakes on both sides proved costly. Ferguson’s drop was a defining moment, but the offense’s broader performance is also under review. Schottenheimer’s message leaves Ferguson with both reassurance and a clear challenge: he remains part of the plan, but the tight end group’s roles could change if the production does not improve.
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This story was originally published October 11, 2026 at 7:20 AM.