Report: Joneses have been in contact with Urban Meyer recently

The Dallas Cowboys are going to ride out the season with their current cadre of calamitous coaches; that much was made clear following their unenthusiastic, malaise-ridden defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football. After a …

The Dallas Cowboys are going to ride out the season with their current cadre of calamitous coaches; that much was made clear following their unenthusiastic, malaise-ridden defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bears on Thursday Night Football. After a second consecutive, nationally-televised disaster, rabble rousers have reached a deafening tone, begging owner Jerry Jones to make a move that would likely be spinning wheels, but would at least offer a different voice of leadership as it appears clear to most observers the club has stopped responding to the words from head coach Jason Garrett.

Half of the issue is that no one on the coaching staff seems a right fit, at least from the outside looking in, to take over the reigns. Many feel even with no worthy successor, change for changes sake while the team still has the inside track on a playoff berth would be worth it. There doesn’t seem to be anything to lose outside of the ownership groups very personal relationship with Garrett. It seems that level loyalty means more to the Jones family than the outcome of the season. It makes sense, as Garrett seems to be considered family to Jerry and his son Stephen. The pending dismissal everyone sees coming is likely to take place in person, and the immediacy of having his successor seems something they aren’t willing to do.

That changes after the Cowboys are all at home, after Garrett has a chance to say goodbye to the men he’s led for almost a full decade. The Jones’ want to give him that farewell opportunity before he looks for new work in the league. Garrett will land somewhere, eventually, and the Cowboys will replace him, likely with a big name. One such candidate has been revealed, according to Jane Slater of the NFL Network. The club has already been in contact with former Ohio State head coach and national champion Urban Meyer.

Meyer ranked 2nd in this week’s Garrett Replacement Coach Power Rankings, with current Oklahoma Sooners coach Lincoln Riley ranking 4th. Tony Elliott was not on the radar previously, but will be added to next week’s rankings.

Meyer took over for in Columbus in 2012 and went 54-4 with four bowl victories in six seasons, including the 2014 national championship earned in the Sugar Bowl. He was the coach who recruited Ezekiel Elliott to the Buckeyes and saw his and several other future NFL top picks and standouts careers flourish. He has spent his entire career in the collegiate ranks, but he has expanded his resume by spending the last season off the sidelines and in the office as Ohio State’s assistant athletic director this season.

This past October, Meyer voiced his interest in becoming the next head coach of the Cowboys if the opportunity presented itself, following being asked if Riley would leave the great gig with the Sooners for such a shot.

“That’s New York Yankees, that’s the Dallas Cowboys,” Meyer said. “That’s the one. Great city. They got Dak Prescott, Zeke Elliott. You got a loaded team. And I can’t speak for him obviously, I hate to even speculate because I don’t know him, that’s really not fair, but to me, that’s the one job in professional football that you say, ‘I got to go do that.’”

The follow-up question of his interest was answered succinctly.

“Sure,” Meyer said. “Absolutely. Absolutely. That one? Yes.”

Etiquette be damned, coaches publicly speaking on coaching opportunities when the job isn’t vacant is frowned upon, Meyer took his shot and it appears the Cowboys’ front office is intrigued by the possibility.

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