The Dallas Cowboys’ current head coach is working to win the NFC East division crown, secure the team’s spot in the playoffs, and maybe even make an improbable run at the Super Bowl appearance that’s eluded him in his 10 seasons on the sidelines. But much of the Cowboys’ fanbase is ready for a new coach, seeing the rest of the schedule as a mere formality that’s keeping the front office from making that eagerly-anticipated hire sooner rather than later.
After reports surfaced last week the organization has a legitimate interest in former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer and executive vice president and chief operating officer Stephen Jones had even had a conversation with Meyer, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones took to the Dallas airwaves on Tuesday morning with his side of the story. To put it bluntly, the big boss says the reports are wrong.
“That’s not correct,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan’s Shan and RJ.
“I can confirm that it is absolutely not correct. We have not met with any coach, not met with any.”
But Jones didn’t exactly bolt the door closed behind him, either, on the subject of possibly pursuing Meyer or Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley or any other possible candidate should Garrett’s job become open.
“Specifically, in answering that question, I don’t want to imply we wouldn’t, in a way that would diminish the credibility of the coach or a player or somebody you’re asking about. Normally when somebody says, ‘Have you met with such-and-such?’ or ‘Are you interested in such-and-such?’ and you say, ‘I have not,’ the implication is you’re not interested. That shouldn’t be brought forward, either. The facts are that we just have not talked to any coach- potential coach- in the NFL.”
And while Jones didn’t verbally say the word yet, it sure seemed to hang there in the space between the words he did use. The feeling has been for some time that if Garrett doesn’t lead the Cowboys to the Super Bowl- or at least a very competitive showing in the NFC conference championship game- there will soon be a head coach’s job opening in Dallas. Based on the team’s performance over the last three games (and really, over the last ten), that kind of turnaround seems exceedingly unlikely.
The front office hasn’t started talking to its next coach yet, according to the man who runs the team. But he also says very plainly that he’s not not interested in those conversations possibly happening in the near future.
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