Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has called for greater consistency from right tackle Terence Steele, describing the veteran lineman’s recent practice performances as uneven. Speaking after a training session, Schottenheimer said Steele has occasionally lowered his pad level and been beaten on the edge, emphasizing the need for improvement.
“T-Steele’s got to play a little bit more consistent,” Schottenheimer said. “He has had a couple days where he’s been a little bit dropping his pads and getting edged a little bit. He needs to be better.”
The blunt assessment comes as the Cowboys evaluate an offensive line that relies heavily on Steele’s durability. The 29-year-old has started all 17 games in each of the past three seasons and has been on the field for 99 percent of the team’s offensive snaps over that span. Offensive coordinator Klayton Adams suggested the workload itself may be a factor in the inconsistency.
Adams said he and Steele discussed the issue recently, exploring ways to manage the tackle’s reps without sacrificing performance. “He’s a guy that’s going into Year 7, and he’s never going to ask for a day off. He’s never going to ask for a break,” Adams said. “So we’re just searching for ways to help him and help him play at his best and most consistently.”
Signed as an undrafted free agent in 2020, Steele has developed into the oldest and most experienced member of Dallas’s offensive line. His coaches view him as a cornerstone of the unit, but they are now seeking a balance between his ironman availability and the technical precision required at the highest level.
The conversation reflects a broader challenge for the Cowboys as they prepare for the upcoming season: optimizing the Health and effectiveness of a player who has rarely left the field. How Dallas manages Steele’s practice and game-day workload could define the stability of their offensive front in the months ahead.
