Report: Dallas Cowboys expected to “take the temperature” of Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley

Just about everybody you know has likely seen some sort of connection between Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley and the Dallas Cowboys over the last year. Given the proximity of the two football programs it’s easy to draw a line between those dots. There has been a contingent of people who have wanted to see Lincoln Riley lead the Cowboys for some time, but his lack of success in the College Football Playoffs has others growing a bit concerned.

It’s one thing for talk around the water cooler to involve Riley and the Cowboys, but given that America’s Team should officially be without a head coach sooner rather than later, there is now a legitimate chance of it happening.

And speaking of legitimacy, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport went on air on Sunday morning and offered up a legitimate connection between Riley and Dallas. He noted that the Cowboys have already interviewed Mike McCarthy and Marvin Lewis (again, for a job that isn’t technically open at the moment, this is totally normal!) and that they are expected to “take the temperature” of Riley’s interest in the NFL.

“From what I understand expect them to at least take the temperature of Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley. See if he is actually interested in coming to the NFL. I’ve talked to people close to him, they don’t think so, but no one Rich [Eisen] has said definitively no.”

Football minds and media are still unsure just how much Riley wants to leave the great situation that he has in Norman for the instability that NFL life can offer. The Cowboys appear ready to find out, and the answer could obviously dictate the next move that they make.