When Mike McCarthy was announced as the ninth head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Jason Garrett was obviously the first casualty. But Marc Colombo became the second when word leaked just before McCarthy’s introductory press conference that the team’s offensive line coach would not be retained under the new regime. Colombo was out in Dallas; longtime McCarthy assistant Joe Philbin was in.
But it seems Colombo may ultimately be able to carpool to the office with Garrett in 2020 just the same. According to reports, Colombo is set to interview with the New York Giants to be their next offensive line coach under new offensive coordinator Garrett.
Marc Colombo will interview for the Giants OL opening this week, sources tell @toddarcher and me. Jason Garrett’s presence as offensive coordinator would seem to make this a natural connection. Cowboys pass protection greatly improved in 2019 and still had 5th-ranked run offense.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) January 21, 2020
One-time Dallas assistant Bill Callahan had been linked to the Giants OL job, but that door closed when Garrett was hired in New York. Callahan will join the staff in Cleveland instead.
Colombo was a first-round draft pick by the Bears in 2002. After three injury-riddled seasons in Chicago, he was signed by Dallas in 2005 and was a mainstay at right tackle for the next six seasons. Some of that time was spent with Garrett serving either on the Cowboys’ offensive staff or as interim head coach in 2010. He played the 2011 season in Miami before retiring as a member of the Cowboys.
Colombo then joined the Cowboys’ coaching staff in 2016, first as an assistant. In October 2018, Colombo was promoted by Garrett to offensive line coach upon the firing of Paul Alexander. Colombo was credited with instilling a nasty attitude and fixing the offensive line’s play; sack totals dropped and the team’s ground game improved. Ezekiel Elliott finished 2018 as the league’s rushing champion.
In 2019, Elliott’s numbers largely mirrored his previous season’s, good enough for fourth place leaguewide. Elliott and three of Colombo’s linemen were named to the 2020 Pro Bowl, but with a new head coach comes changes to the staff, even to excellent positional and assistant coaches.
The rival Giants may prove to be the beneficiaries of this one.
[vertical-gallery id=638027][lawrence-newsletter]
