Cowboys close in on Jason Garrett, but for what role?

by Dave Halprin on Jan 24, 2007 10:55 PM CST in News Comment 39 comments

As has been noted in various comments, Jason Garrett is expected to be hired in some capacity by tomorrow, and is a candidate for the head coaching job.

According to knowledgeable sources, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has decided to hire Jason Garrett at least to be Dallas' offensive coordinator -- and possibly to be the successor to retired head coach Bill Parcells.

A source told ESPN's Ed Werder on Wednesday night that Jones considers Garrett -- a former backup to quarterback Troy Aikman -- to be one of the most promising offensive coaches in the league and was so determined to bring him back to the Cowboys organization that he would have been added to Parcells' staff had Parcells decided to coach the final year of his contract.

The Cowboys could appoint Garrett offensive coordinator to secure his services while eliminating the Dolphins from the equation. Then Jones could deliberate whether to appoint him as the head coach later after interviews with other head-coaching candidates, primarily San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips or San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Norv Turner.

Well, this is all happening pretty quickly, which tells me Jones had a plan in place for a while. Garrett looks to be coming on board, but we'll have to wait and see in what capacity he ends up.

Ultimately, Jones must decide whether he's willing to sign a veteran coach to a three- or four-year contract to allow Garrett to gain experience as a play-caller before eventually promoting him to the top job. Or, Jones may decide he's willing to endure the risk of immediately putting a talented Cowboys team in Garrett's hands now.

The DFW S-T delves more into the Jason Garrett story, but also has some Wade Phillips news.

San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said the Cowboys have asked and received permission to talk to defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.

It's unknown when Phillips would come to Dallas and interview with the Cowboys. He was in Mobile, Ala., at the Senior Bowl with the Chargers on Wednesday and had a flight scheduled to return to San Diego early Thursday morning.

Phillips is one of the NFL's premier defensive coaches and the architect of the Chargers' 3-4 scheme, the same scheme used by the Cowboys.
"I am out of clothes so I plan on making the flight home, but I am hoping to get back to Dallas," Phillips said Wednesday night.

The Cowboys interest in Phillips coincides with their interest in Garrett, who was interviewed Wednesday for the offensive coordinator and head coaching positions.

Guess who helped interview Jason Garrett?

Although he retired Monday, Parcells is still at the team's headquarters where he is serving as a sounding board and advisor to Jones for rest of the week. According to a source, he had a lengthy closed-door meeting with Garrett.

Garrett went back into a closed-door session with Jones about 4:30 p.m. and was there well into the night.

While Garrett, 41, seems like an out-of-the-blue candidate, consider that the trend in the NFL is to hire young, energetic coaches. Look no further than the recent hires in Oakland (Lane Kiffin, age 31), Miami (Cam Cameron, 45) and Pittsburgh (Mike Tomlin, 34) so far this off-season. New Orleans (Sean Payton) and the New York Jets (Eric Mangini) made the playoffs last season with young coaches.

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Rooney Rule?

Jones and co. have to interview a minority candidate. If Garrett is announced as HC tomorrow or next week, won't Jones be in some serious trouble? I don't think a telephone conversation with Dennis Green will work this time.

by Casey on Jan 24, 2007 11:06 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Bowles was interviewed

Poke

by Poke on Jan 24, 2007 11:15 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

thanks

OK. I didn't catch that, thanks.

by Casey on Jan 24, 2007 11:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No problem

I was unsure it would count since he's already an employee, but according to the DMN it counts.

Poke

by Poke on Jan 24, 2007 11:27 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well jerry did th ephone interview

with green last time that made them change the rule to a face to face interview. maybe they will change the rule again after bowles

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 5:31 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

also...

I bet Bill likes Garrett.

Except for having made the mistake of playing offense (and QB no less) as a player, he is a Jersey kid and a coaches son.

Much like Romo before the Carolina game, we won't really know what we are getting with Garrett until we see a real game but I would prefer to see the team risk it w/Garrett than hire some re-tread who keeps failing as a HC (or not excelling). Sports is the only industry that keeps making failed CEO's the new CEO's... "Ladies and Gentlemen the Metropolis Blues are proud to introduce their 32nd Head Coach MIKE FRATELLO (or LOU PINELLA)..." I guess the thought is to go with the safety of known mediocrity rather than risk being embarrassed with someone who could be great or awful (Willie Randolph, Avery Johnson, etc).

The Jets took a different path last year and it has worked out well. I live in New York and I can tell no one has called into a radio show in the last six months and said "If we had only signed Norv Turner imagine where would be." In Oakland, Arizona, and the next place that hires Mike Tice those calls are more frequent.

I think this could work. I mean heck if he's a puppet he's a more interesting puppet than Joe Alvezano

If Garrett is HC and there isn't a marked improvement we go hire Cowher or Schottenheimer (if he wins the Superbowl next year -- not if screws up) or Belicheck.

If Garrett is the OC then it PROBABLY (and I say probably b/c JJ can do some crazy things) that the rest of the interviews will be with the defensive minds: Rivera, Phillips, Smith??? because I just can't imagine hiring a Martz or a Turner and saying "don't worry about the offense I hired the OC already and we have a system in place"(unless Norv loves Garrett). Unless JJ is going to make a run at Jimmy.... (just kidding Terry)

And speaking of Jimmy, one thing that could be good about Garrett (and I say could because what do we really know about the guy?) is that he learned from Jimmy. I thing Jimmy was perhaps the best coach of the uber-modern era ('90's and on) in regards to dealing with troubled ego maniacal superstars in a way that engendered respect not animosity while maintaining on-the field and in-the-locker room control. If Jason picked that up, it could mean he could manage our difficult WR's (recall that other than his days with Parcells Glenn was known as a head case and divisive force too).

Maybe I am nuts but

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 6:19 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Garret isn't a true Jersey boy

But at least he went to college there. I'm not so sure an Ivy League school counts towards true Jersey boy credentials but at least it's an item for conversation between the two.

If Bill is going to hang out and interview potential candidates, why not just accept a job as Cowboys GM? Jerry learned to back off the personnel decisions quite a bit since hiring Bill, why not loosen the reigns a bit more? Bill gets to work in football without all the stress and 24-hour babysitting.

by Doomsday on Jan 25, 2007 9:48 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Are you sure?

I thought his father was the head coach at princeton and he had been there a while.

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 10:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I was wrong

good call.
from Ohio, father coached at Columbia (and for the browns) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Garrett

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 10:52 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Jones just can't let go

Hiring a new offense coordinator should be the head coaches' job. Jones' just can't help but meddle...

It looks like rather than hire another strong Parcells type(although granted that isn't out there) and let him pick his own staff, Jones is going to get a guy he can fully control.

Why not just hire TO as coach?

Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Jan 25, 2007 8:23 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

"Why not just hire TO as coach?"

Haven't you heard? TO's going back to the Iggles..just in time for McNabb's return. :-D

Wharter

by Wharter on Jan 25, 2007 8:48 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Reid

Just as a point of reference, Andy Reid was the quarteback coach of the Packers in '97 and '98 before being hired as the head coach of the Eagles in '99. That seems to have worked out well for them, why not us?

Derek

Signature! I don't need no stinking signature!!

by DerekSTheRed on Jan 25, 2007 9:18 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Excellent Point

Yeah, I remember that the media kept raving about Reid being a Holmgren disciple at the time.

Heck, if J. Garrett is hired as our next head coach, his experience will have come from the Parcells (down to Belichick down to Saban) & Johnson tree (played for the Cowboys' last three SB teams).

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" - Ric Flair

by kcbrett5 on Jan 25, 2007 10:01 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

True

However, Reid was allowed to pick his own staff. The owner hired him and then stayed out of everything else football related.

Bleeding Green Nation Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Jan 25, 2007 1:12 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

yes you have lurie

we have jerry
go ahead, rub it in

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 1:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

True Dat, JB.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" - Ric Flair

by kcbrett5 on Jan 25, 2007 1:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Welcome, Coach Garrett!

I am delighted to see JG re-joining the Dallas Cowboys.

The future starts now.

Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.

by OskieOskie on Jan 25, 2007 10:31 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Please...

Jerry don't saddle the organization and its loyal fans with Wade Phillips a nice guy but a 60 year old retread. Much rather give it to Jason then go the Phillips route. Let Jason hire a defensive coordinator and lets get busy.

by lh24 on Jan 25, 2007 10:34 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Another big plus

... of bringing JG in as coach:

He can teach the backup QB (whoever it will be) how to hold for kicks. That was one of his chores when he was here, I believe.

Keep doing what you been doing, keep getting what you been getting.

by OskieOskie on Jan 25, 2007 11:00 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

looking more and more like a disaster

What is Jerry doing!!! Are you now forced to hire Jason Garrett as your offensive coordinator before you hire a head coach, Jerry has to make a decision today on Garrett, if he hires Garrett as the OC, then what are you going to tell Wade Phillips when you bring him in to talk to him, you can be the head coach, but I do the hiring of the staff, Phillips will probably tell Jerry, thanks, but no thanks, then what does Jerry do, promote Jason Garrett to head coach, what message does that send, You were really our second choice Jason. Jerry has completely screwed this up, he didn't learn anything from his bungling of the mid to late ninties. You hire a head coach and let him bring in his staff, not the other way round.The puppeteer is at it again, what an pathetic owner Jerry Jones is when it comes to day to day operations of this football team, what a disaster.

by Deke on Jan 25, 2007 11:00 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I disagree with every one of your ideas.

Jerry has to make a decision today on Garrett, if he hires Garrett as the OC, then what are you going to tell Wade Phillips when you bring him in to talk to him, you can be the head coach, but I do the hiring of the staff

Yes, that is exactly what you tell him. He is being hired to coach the football team, not president and CEO. The staff is mostly already in place, and its a good one.

Phillips will probably tell Jerry, thanks, but no thanks, then what does Jerry do, promote Jason Garrett to head coach,

Yeah right. No one interested in coaching is going to turn down the opportunity to coach the Dallas Cowboys. Even a happily retired Parcells was lured back. The gig is sweetened when you inhereit a roster is stocked with players picked by Parcells.

then what does Jerry do, promote Jason Garrett to head coach, what message does that send, You were really our second choice Jason.

Yes. But I doubt Garrett's self-esteem will be damaged, as you imply. He's now the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and obviously it is already abundantly clear that Jones believes deeply in his abilities. Even if it went down as you say, it would be hard to depict those events as someone disparaging of Garrett.

Jerry has completely screwed this up, he didn't learn anything from his bungling of the mid to late ninties. You hire a head coach and let him bring in his staff, not the other way round. The puppeteer is at it again, what an pathetic owner Jerry Jones is when it comes to day to day operations of this football team, what a disaster.

Your strategy is to fire all of Parcells' assistants and lose our opportunity to get Garrett, whose peers speak of as a coaching protegy; we should hire a coach and have him assemble a whole new staff in the last week of January. Great ideas!

Jones is trying to create continuity from the Parcells team to the future. I think its very smart.

by jsdoty on Jan 25, 2007 11:33 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

this didn't work before

if you're a head coach, you want to bring in yours guys, guys you know, guys you have an idea of what they bring to the table, guys you're going to trust and be working with everyday, thats what the head coach is, so you just want a figure head with the puppet master Jerry Jones pulling the strings, that what Campo was, he had no say. Sorry, but thats no way to run a football team. How can a head coach do his job successfully if he has guys on his staff that aren't on his page, his hands are tied.

by Deke on Jan 25, 2007 11:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

jones asked parcells to keep zimmer

and he did.

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 11:56 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

ok,

in a perfect world, I agree with you. But this isn't a team in a rebuilding mode, and the team is out of season on its head coach search. It would be pretty disruptive to the team, I think, to bring in a whole new staff. There were a lot of things they did well last year, and they should build on them. Given the circumstances, I have no complaints with how JJ is going about this.

by jsdoty on Jan 25, 2007 12:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

agree 100%

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 1:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

if Garrett ends up as HC

it doesn't mean he was 2nd choice.

it means the team had to make a decision on him by today, could have hired him without making him HC but may have still hired Phillips if he rocked the interviews.

you cant tell if he is the best choice until you complete the process.

by 325424 on Jan 25, 2007 11:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I can also remember

you saying starting Romo would be a recipe for disaster as well. I guess this means Jerry is doing the right thing.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 25, 2007 2:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LOL!

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" - Ric Flair

by kcbrett5 on Jan 25, 2007 2:35 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

wrong again Terry

by Deke on Jan 25, 2007 3:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

you're kidding, right?

you're saying I was wrong about Romo and you were right? What games were you watching all season? certainly not the Cowboys.

The bottom line Deke is that you're the one that is wrong again as usual. Jerry had to hire Garrett because he will be the next great coach in this league and Jones had the sense to recogize that.

Pairing him with Phillips would be the best case scenario to let him groom Garrett until he's ready.
Jerry is finally learning how to GM.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 25, 2007 3:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I clarify it for you terry

Never said start Romo would be a disaster, those are your words, not mine, as usual, you try to put words in other peoples statements. I said the chances of an undrafted QB being the next Tom brady were very unlikely, never said it couldn't happen, but at the time, Bledsoe was the best chance at the time of winning.

You seem to have us at 12 wins and a superbowl appearance, again I said it was a five hundred team, it was a five hundred team.

Jerry finally learning to be a GM, yeah, thats funny!!! well, lets see, he did the same thing in the late ninties, hiring assistants as the puppeteer GM he is before a head coach,that makes no sense, where did that get us, oh yeah, three years of 5-11, I see the comparison now you're talking about. Hiring assistants before the head coach indicates to players that Jerry is in charge and that they answer to Jerry and not the head coach, thats what happened with Deion Sanders going behind the head coach and complaining to Jerry. The head coach will have no say if he cant hire his own assistants.

by Deke on Jan 25, 2007 3:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

no Deke

you said we would never make the playoffs with a "rookie" qb, that we were throwing the season away. Thats what you said and were wrong. With Bledsoe we never sniff the playoffs.

And who cares if the next HC has no say, you're forgetting he will only be a temporary hire until Garrett is ready. Big picture Deke, big picture.
In a few years, Jones will allow Garrett to do whatever he wants, but now he has to put the wheels in motion.

In Romo we Trust

by Terry on Jan 25, 2007 3:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Then why bother hiring a head coach at all?

by the way, all coaches are temporary hires, not many landry or Cowhers around.

by Deke on Jan 25, 2007 4:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He also said we were done at 3-3

The guy puts negative spin on almost everything he writes. Just ignore his sky is falling act.

Garrett was going to be hired as OC even if Parcells had stayed. JJ wants him on the staff. I don't see what's bad about grabbing an up and coming coach with Dallas ties while we can.

Good job Jerry!

by APerfectStar on Jan 25, 2007 6:41 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs