During a Thursday morning discussion on ESPN‘s First Take, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Auburn suggested Jones hired Schottenheimer just to have the Cowboys tank in 2025, secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and select Texas quarterback Arch Manning as the new face of America’s Team. Oh, and maybe hire former Alabama head coach Nick Saban to replace Schottenheimer.
“I think they’re tanking for Arch. Make it make sense. Coach Schottenheimer has one-and-done written all over him,” Newton said on Thursday morning’s First Take. “Ok, why do you want one and done? You get the first pick of the draft. Not only that, I’m going to go back into my godfather bag and say, Ok, Jerry Jones is a business man, and he’s going to get into his Don Corleone mentality and he’s going to give him a deal he can’t refuse. Who? Nick Saban. Go get Nick Saban as your head coach and Arch Manning as your No. 1 pick.”
First Take host Stephen A. Smith had to take a minute to take Newton’s suggestion in, but couldn’t find many flaws in his conspiracy thinking.
“I don’t know that he’s wrong,” Smith reacted. “(Newton) might be on to something. I don’t know.”
