The Cowboys have 27 players set to hit free agency this offseason. While most of the attention in Dallas is on the head coaching search, securing the futures of some of these key players with the team is just as important for the future success in Big D.

Brian Schottenheimer has emerged as among the favorites to become the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, meaning he could assemble a coaching staff potentially led by Rex Ryan on the defensive side.

The Dallas Cowboys are looking to retool their coaching staff after parting ways with Mike McCarthy this offseason. The team has been connected to several names, both internal and external, for the head coaching position.

Rex Ryan put a cigar in his mouth when he should’ve been eating crow. The ESPN analyst and could-be second-term Jets head coach apparently lit a fire under the Texans by saying last week that the Chargers had a “bye week” by facing the Texans in the AFC wild-card round. Final score: Texans 32, Chargers 12.

For months now, former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan thought he was a shoo-in to be hired as the team's next head coach. Why? Because he unabashedly

After the Texans defeated the Chargers 32-12 behind a dominant defensive effort, the Texans ripped Ryan for his comments. Texans running back Joe Mixon went on Instagram Live and captured him and several of his teammates smoking cigars while blasting Ryan.

Texans players had their fun with Ryan’s comments throughout the week and postgame. In the locker room following the 20-point victory, Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon posted a live video on his Instagram of him and his teammates calling out the coach while smoking cigars in his honor.

Following their Wild Card win vs. the Chargers, Texans RB Joe Mixon had some words for ESPN's Rex Ryan after his disrespectful comments.

Rex Ryan is apologizing to the Texans after saying the Chargers had a bye week coming. The Texans ended up winning by 20.

The New York Jets’ next head coach reportedly will not be Rex Ryan. Ryan, 62, has been vocal about wanting a chance to return. He interviewed with the team last week, but it could be one-and-done in terms of those chats.

Rex Ryan apologizes to the Texans after their surprise victory over the Chargers following his "bye week" comment.

The bottom officially dropped out for Rex in 2014. The Jets finished with their worst record during the Ryan era at 4-12, capped by a humiliating 48-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills in a game that was relocated to Detroit’s Ford Field due to a major winter storm that crippled the city of Buffalo.