The Cowboys‘ best teams during the Jerry Jones era came under head coaches the owner hired from the college ranks, with Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer combining for three Super Bowl wins and six playoff berths from 1991-96. But the owner’s past five HC hires have come from the professional ranks. Jones is either attempting a stealth run at a college coach this time around or has changed his line of thinking since the Johnson-Switzer days.
“College coaches have the lowest — at head coach, coming directly into head coach — have the lowest percentage rate of success as opposed to coming from coordinator, as opposed to coming from the NFL or as opposed to coming from a head coaching job in the NFL,” Jones said during an interview with 105.3 The Fan (via The Athletic’s Jon Machota, subscription required). “It’s pretty obvious they have to get acquainted with personnel. … So you pay a price for somebody to get up to date that haven’t spent the prior months or years in the NFL.”
Both Oklahoma’s Lincoln Riley and acclaimed ex-Ohio State leader Urban Meyer have been linked to the Cowboys, so it’s probably best not to dismiss Jones going the college route. But this stance does not point to the 77-year-old owner looking beyond the pro ranks for Jason Garrett‘s replacement.
Here’s the latest from the NFC East:
- Giants fans eager for perhaps one final Eli Manning start at MetLife Stadium will be pleased Sunday. Daniel Jones will be given another week off due to his high ankle sprain, keeping Manning in the starting lineup for a Week 15 home tilt against the Dolphins. The 38-year-old quarterback threw two touchdown passes and did not turn the ball over on a rainy night against the Eagles, following an 11-game stretch featuring at least one Jones turnover. The Giants currently stand in the No. 2 overall draft slot, so Sunday’s game against the 3-10 Dolphins — with the 3-10 Redskins and 3-9-1 Lions and Cardinals looming — will be important for draft positioning.
- Cut from the Giants largely because of a non-apology apology for using the word “retard” in a tweet to a fan, Janoris Jenkins is on the waiver wire this weekend. During an interview with TMZ, the veteran cornerback was more contrite. “It’s always a learning moment, man. Everybody’s going to learn from different situations … move forward and learn,” Jenkins said. “You just admit to it. Admit that you did wrong, which I did.” This, of course, comes at a time when Jenkins would prefer a team claim the balance of his five-year, $62.5MM contract. The 31-year-old defender is due to carry a non-guaranteed $10.15MM base salary in 2020. Envisioning a team claiming that seems difficult at this point.
- The Eagles will be without Lane Johnson against the Redskins. The Pro Bowl right tackle left Monday night’s game in the first half due to an ankle injury. Johnson missed the Eagles’ Week 12 game because of a concussion.
He didn’t exactly admit what he did was wrong…or at least he wasn’t sorry about it. He just said that’s “hood speak”….which basically means I can say what I want without repercussions. While I commend the giants for releasing him, unfortunately someone will sign him because he’s good at football and thus I doubt he will really have learned his lesson. If anything….this got him off a terrible team and likely onto a contender.
He’s not really good at football. He regularly gets burned and has often given zero effort on tackling. Some of his effort on plays has been embarrassing.
The reason Jerry does not particularly like hiring college head coaches is because he normally would go for one of the top college guys and those guys are going to want to hire their own staff not to mention have a say in the 53 man roster. At this point as a Cowboys fan I think he just should bite the bullet hire urban Meyer or Lincoln Riley and let them have a big say in the roster. A former cowboys head coach by the name of Bill Parcells once said “if you want me to cook the food allowed me to buy the groceries“
Bill Parcells: “if you want me to cook the food allowed me to buy the groceries“
Jerry Jones: “your just an errand boy sent by grocery clerks to collect a bill”
I get it is Jerra’s team. He can run it anyway he wants. Peter King insist it isn’t all Jerra all the time. He needs to stop meddling and let a coach just coach. The talent they have assembled is outstanding. You can’t coach with him hanging over everyone and stop running your mouth after every game. The great teams you hardly ever hear a peep from the owner. We all know who Jerra is and what he has accomplished in life.
I think Dallas’ talent is overrated. Their record speaks to that. It’s not 100% coaching that has failed them. Why can’t this ‘talented’ team even hang with above 500 teams? Thanksgiving & last week, Dallas had 2 great opening drives then nothing. That’s not all on the coaches.