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Latest On Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott, Tyron Smith

February 5th, 2023 at 4:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys have plenty of pieces already in place which helped take the team to the divisional round of the playoffs this season, but key decisions lay ahead with several high-profile players. A number of Dallas’ longest-tenured offensive contributors face uncertain futures in 2023.

One of those is running back Ezekiel Elliott. The 27-year-old has long been thought to be a cut candidate, owing to his shrinking role in Dallas’ backfield behind Tony Pollard and his cumbersome salary and cap hit remaining on his current contract. The former top-five pick recently made clear his intention of at least considering a pay cut if it helped keep him with the Cowboys, something the team would be mutually agreeable to in principle.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones and EVP Stephen Jones indicated that they want Elliott to remain in the fold for 2023, but added that both parties will “have to talk business” to make such a scenario financially feasible (Twitter link via Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Elliott has scheduled cap hits of at least $14.3MM for each of the four years remaining on his deal, though no guaranteed money remains on his pact.

The Cowboys’ decision with respect to Elliott will have to come against the backdrop of their desire to keep Pollard. The latter is a pending free agent, but could at least be retained for the 2023 season via the franchise tag ($10.1MM). Pollard is currently recovering from a broken leg, but the former fourth-rounder has firmly established himself as the more efficient member of Dallas’ halfback tandem. How much the team is willing to spend at the position will become a key factor in their offseason plans.

“We’re probably one of the top teams in the league already with what we pay running backs,” the younger Jones said, via the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore. “We have to make sure how we pay attention to this and how we spread it out, how we divide up the pie… Obviously, Tony is looking to make more money. So, we have to relook the whole things in terms of running back and what that looks like.”

Meanwhile, tackle Tyron Smith presents another interesting case for Dallas. The 32-year-old has played at an elite level when healthy, but he has missed 33 contests over the past three campaigns. His time in 2022 was limited by a torn hamstring, and he manned the right tackle spot upon his return. That decision came in part due to the absence of starting RT Terence Steele, but also the high-end play of first-round rookie Tyler Smith, drafted to one day succeed his namesake as the Cowboys’ blindside protector.

Tyron Smith has only one non-void year remaining on his contract, but with no guaranteed compensation due his $13.6MM salary could be in jeopardy. Smith also underwent another procedure this offseason (a scope, specifically), Hill tweets. When asked if the eight-time Pro Bowler would be back next season, Stephen Jones said “I have no reason to believe he won’t,” but injury concerns and other financial decisions could change that stance in the near future.

The Cowboys are currently one of 14 teams over the 2023 cap ceiling of $224.8MM. Many moves are soon to come as a result, so the futures of Elliott and Smith with their only NFL employer to date will be worth watching.

Latest On Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy’s Job Security

January 11th, 2023 at 8:43pm CST by Ben Levine

Mike McCarthy has helped guide the Cowboys to consecutive 12-win seasons, but if the team fails to make any noise in the playoffs, some have wondered if the head coach will be afforded a long leash. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seemed to shut down that sentiment during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas yesterday, with the executive giving his head coach a vote of confidence.

“No. I don’t even want to … No. That’s it,” Jones said (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I don’t need to go into all the pluses or minuses. I’ve got a lot more to evaluate Mike McCarthy on than this playoff game.

“I can’t tell you how much confidence I’ve got in Mike and our coaching staff of being on top of where we are with this team right now. They’ve got every nuance. They understand every frailty that we might have or we might have shown Sunday [in the loss to Washington]. They’ve got everything in their grasp and in their understanding, and I have complete confidence in this coaching staff. It’s outstanding. We’ve got a great chance to go down there and have success.”

McCarthy’s first season in Dallas was a dud, and following a 12-win campaign in 2021, the team proceeded to lose their first playoff game. The Cowboys are in the postseason following another 12-win season, but as Archer points out, that kind of success hasn’t always led to job security in Dallas. Chan Gailey was the last Cowboys head coach to lead the team to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but he was let go following a second-straight playoff disappointment. Jones has since admitted that the Gailey firing was a mistake, and it appears he won’t make a rash decision on McCarthy.

As ESPN’s Dan Graziano recently wrote, in recent years, we can take Jones at his word when it comes to head coach proclamations. However, the writer also cautions that an ugly loss to Tampa Bay on Monday could change the executive’s mind. In fact, sources tell Graziano that they wouldn’t be surprised if Dallas ends up making a change at head coach.

McCarthy still has two years remaining on his contract. The 59-year-old previously had a long stint in Green Bay that saw him win 125 regular season games and 10 playoff contests, including a victory in Super Bowl XLV. The Cowboys, meanwhile, haven’t made it past the Divisional Round of the playoffs since 1995.

Jerry Jones Supports 18-Game Schedule

December 11th, 2022 at 1:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

2022 marks the second season during which the NFL has played a 17-game regular season, a move which caused plenty of controversy during the latest round of CBA negotiations. An 18-game slate has been floated as a possibility, and at least one owner publicly supports further expansion.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones indicated, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, that he is in favor of adding one more game to the regular season and removing one from the preseason. The NFL did that in 2021, marking the first alteration to the length of the season since 1978 and dropping the preseason from four to three weeks in duration.

“One more I see, and I’m a big proponent of it,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “I think that’s the right level. That allows us to, as we go into the early games of the season, that allows us to have those games. You will get better if you play those games because you will play less preseason games. You know at one time they played six preseason games in the NFL… But still I like to play two or three preseason games and 18 regular season games and [I] have been a proponent of that.”

Such a setup would certainly not be unprecedented in pro football. The CFL has played an 18-game regular season for the past 36 years, and currently has just two preseason contests per campaign. Of note, though, is the fact that – in large part due to the odd number of teams in the league – each club receives three bye weeks over the course of the year. The fact that the most recent expansion of the NFL slate was not accompanied by an extra week off during the season has been met with criticism over player safety concerns.

That may become an increasingly contentious point if the league’s predicted expansion of international games continues in the near future. More travel time between contests, coupled with an 18th game, could lead to increased calls for a second bye week to be included in the season. From a financial perspective, though, the potential benefits would be self-evident.

Increased revenue was the driving factor in the decision to move to 17 games, and the league has seen consistent spikes in the salary cap (with the recent exception of the pandemic). That trend is expected to continue, but players were split in advance of the latest CBA talks which opened the door to the latest expansion. In any event, the idea of adding further to the regular season will likely be increasingly talked-about if it receives further support.

Latest On Odell Beckham Jr.

November 27th, 2022 at 8:51am CST by Ely Allen

NOVEMBER 27: As reported previously, the first stop on Beckham’s 2022 free agent tour will be the Giants, who will host their former first-rounder on December 1 and 2 (via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com). OBJ will meet with the Cowboys on December 5. Rapoport confirms that Beckham will meet with the Bills as well, though it’s unclear if his Buffalo summit will come before or after his trek to Dallas.

NOVEMBER 25: There continues to be tremendous interest in free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. as he plays the field to determine his new home. While many teams have been mentioned as suitors for Beckham’s talents, the progress of his recovery from two knee surgeries in as many years is still a main cause for concern with most teams, according to Jeff Darlington of ESPN.

Darlington goes on to quote “more than one decision maker” from around the league saying that “the assumption that Odell will be healthy enough to make an impact…has been largely overstated.” Beckham is not only having to come back from the ACL injury that ended his 2021 season, and its resultant surgery, but also a second surgery on his knee that was intended to help repair issues from the first surgery. There has been a concerning lack of reporting in regard to the progress of Beckham’s recovery, which is certainly a reasonable respect towards Beckham’s privacy concerning his health, but without any information, it becomes incredibly difficult to speculate on the outcome of Beckham’s free agency and his eventual impact on a team, old or new.

Regardless, Beckham continues to shop for a new home. Our most recent reports have divulged plans to visit the Giants then Cowboys, both considered to be the top-two contenders for Beckham’s services. It appears that Cowboys owner/president/general manager Jerry Jones had no intentions of saving his recruiting for Beckham’s in-person visit, though, as the two parties made official contact yesterday, the same day as the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day win over New York, according to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Jones reportedly reached out to Beckham on the phone, telling reporters that he “had a good visit” and that an official in-person visit is being set up, though nothing specific has been scheduled as of yet. On what Beckham could bring to the Cowboys at receiver, Jones said, “I think Odell stands on his own as far as being able to be additive…Odell could help us. I believe that right now.”

Jones did echo the sentiments of Darlington above, though, telling the media that he “doesn’t know anything about Beckham’s health and rehab.” Not only did he stress the importance of Beckham’s health, but he also emphasized that the price has to be right. “Availability is huge,” Jones commented. “But the financial part of it is really huge, too.”

From here, it is believed that Beckham will visit his former team in New York and potentially the Bills, as well, before an in-person visit with the Cowboys. He also reportedly remains in contact with the Chiefs and Ravens as many playoff-hopeful teams look to add a strong receiver for a playoff push, provided Beckham’s readiness to return and contribute has not been overstated.

Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones: “I Don’t Expect A Trade”

October 23rd, 2022 at 6:19pm CST by Rory Parks

The Cowboys defeated the Lions 24-6 on Sunday to improve their record to 5-2. That mark is only good for third place in the improved NFC East, but Dallas is clearly in the mix to win the division for the second consecutive year, and it is firmly entrenched as a potential buyer in advance of the November 1 trade deadline.

Owner Jerry Jones, though, is not expecting his club to swing a deal. “I don’t see that,” Jones said on Sunday (via Jon Machota of The Athletic on Twitter). “I don’t expect a trade.” Jones said he would be “all in” if the Cowboys could acquire a player of Deion Sanders‘ caliber, which is just a tongue-in-cheek way of saying he does not foresee a trade coming together in the next week.

Jones is doubtlessly encouraged by the fact that four of the Cowboys’ five wins have come with backup signal-caller Cooper Rush under center. QB1 Dak Prescott returned for the victory over Detroit after suffering a hand injury in a Week 1 loss to the Bucs, and he eventually found a rhythm in his first game action in six weeks. The star of the game, though, was the Dallas defense, which forced five turnovers in yet another strong performance.

Coming into Sunday’s matchup, the Cowboys ranked eighth in the NFL in total defense and third in points allowed per game, and the five takeaways against the Lions will put them near the top of the league in that category as well. The picture has not been as rosy on the offensive side of the ball, but it would be fair to expect a noticeable improvement with Prescott back in the fold.

However, even the deepest NFL rosters have one or two positions that could use a boost, and the Cowboys are no exception. The team’s running back tandem of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard has been strong, but an addition to a WR corps that lost Amari Cooper in the offseason may be worth exploring, and there are plenty of wideouts who profile as potential trade candidates. A tight end reinforcement may also be appropriate in light of the knee issues that have been plaguing Dalton Schultz, issues that cropped up again on Sunday (Twitter link via ESPN’s Field Yates). Dolphins TE Mike Gesicki, like Schultz, is playing the 2022 season under the franchise tag, and he may be available if Miami receives an offer to its liking.

As far as the defense is concerned, an already strong unit would clearly benefit from a middle linebacker and/or interior defensive lineman to shore up its weakness against runs between the tackles. Adding a player like Bears LB Roquan Smith may have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the front seven and could further strengthen a pass rush that has been performing at an elite level.

Jones’ comments notwithstanding, the Cowboys will clearly do their due diligence and will pull the trigger if the right player becomes available for the right price. At the moment, though, the most recognizable owner in the league does not believe that will happen.

Jim Irsay: Removal Of Dan Snyder As Commanders Owner In Play

October 18th, 2022 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

As the investigations into Commanders owner Dan Snyder persist, some of his peers may be testing the waters about removing him from his post. Colts owner Jim Irsay floated that possibility at the owners’ meetings Tuesday.

Irsay said there is merit to removing Snyder as the Washington owner and added “there potentially could be” 24 votes from ownership ranks to oust the embattled leader, via the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala (Twitter links). No NFL owner has ever been removed from his post via vote.

Irsay added no vote is likely to take place at this week’s meetings but added that such a historic measure could occur once Mary Jo White’s written report from this latest NFL investigation — one centered around Washington’s alleged workplace misconduct and financial improprieties — emerges.

“I believe there is merit to removing him as owner of the [Commanders],” Irsay said. “There’s consideration that he should be removed. … I just think that once owners talk among each other, they’ll arrive to the right decision. My belief is that — unfortunately — that’s the road we probably need to go down. And we just need to finish the investigation. But it’s gravely concerning to me the things that have occurred there over the last 20 years.”

Irsay saying a Snyder removal is in play certainly suggests he is not alone in voicing support to boot the Commanders leader from his 23-year post — a tenure that has both reduced Washington’s competitive standing and brought numerous scandals. Snyder, as he has done for years, is not considering selling the team. A Commanders statement, via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo (on Twitter), following Irsay’s comments indicated as such.

Snyder is being investigated by the league and the House Oversight Committee. These investigations follow a previous NFL probe, which wrapped during the 2021 offseason and led to Snyder being fined $10MM and receiving what amounted to a de facto suspension. Snyder pushed back on the notion he was barred from day-to-day responsibilities with his franchise, and a recent report indicated he is back at work without restrictions.

The prospect of owners warming up to a Snyder removal vote has surfaced in a few recent reports, bringing this seminal topic to the forefront. Irsay’s remarks, however, run counter to Jerry Jones‘ take on this matter. The Cowboys owner does not appear to view a Snyder ouster as a front-burner issue.

“No, I don’t think that’ll be something discussed today,” Jones said, via USA Today’s Jori Epstein (on Twitter). “That’s more a media thing than it is an internal thing. … No, I don’t think that’ll be a highlighted item at all.”

Jones’ comments come after a bombshell ESPN report indicated Snyder was gathering dirt on a handful of NFL owners. That report also noted Snyder had “lost Jerry” regarding support. Contrary to that report, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com adds (video link) Jones still supports Snyder. Jones carries a great deal of weight among owners, so he certainly represents a vital ally for an owner who has lost support of select other owners.

Still, given Irsay’s comments, last week’s report appears to have moved the needle among ownership. Whether a Snyder vote happens in the near future or not, these past several days have brought the most smoke regarding his potential exit.

WR Notes: Packers, Brown, Agholor, Bucs

August 19th, 2022 at 9:34pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Packers have had a more eventful offseason than nearly every other team in the league. One of the results of their moves is a decided lack of proven commodities at the receiver position, something which sparked quarterback Aaron Rodgers‘ recent comments about the improvement which needs to be made amongst some of their new pass-catchers.

[RELATED: Packers Claim WR Fulgham]

“The young guys, especially young receivers, we’ve got to be way more consistent,” the reigning MVP said, via PFF’s Doug Kyed. “A lot of drops, a lot of bad route decisions, running the wrong route. We’ve got to get better in that area.”

Per Kyed, Rodgers has stated they he wants Allen Lazard to operate as the “top option,” something which doesn’t come as much of a surprise given his NFL resume. Rodgers’ preference would be for Lazard to be joined as a starter by veterans Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb – a trio which would include, by far, the most experience available. However, rookies Romeo Doubs (who has seen first-team reps) and Christian Watson (whom the Packers traded up to select in the second round) could unseat Watkins and/or Cobb, leaving the team with more upside – but less certainty – at an important position as they look to contend for a Super Bowl.

Here are some more WR notes from around the league:

  • Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was asked about the possibility of signing Antonio Brown yesterday. The former All-Pro hasn’t generated much interest since his colorful exit from the Buccaneers in the middle of a game last season, but would add experience to a banged-up Dallas receiver room. Instead, Jones replied “we want to give these young guys a real chance to make this team” (Twitter link via Jon Machota of The Athletic). A number of inexperienced wideouts are competing for depth spots behind the likes of CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, James Washington and Jalen Tolbert, and will be allowed to continue doing so for the remainder of the preseason.
  • Kyed tweets that one of the surprise omissions from the Patriots’ depth chart, according to some, could be Nelson Agholor. However, he notes that cutting him would not be financially viable (doing so would incur a dead cap charge of $10MM), and adds that teams which could be interested in trading for him are not willing to do so at his current salary of $9MM. More to the point, the team’s new offense could allow the 29-year-old to enjoy a bounceback season from the underwhelming 37-473-3 statline he produced last year.
  • The Buccaneers are set at the top of their depth chart, but also have a number of intriguing wideouts competing for rotational roles. As a result, veterans like Scotty Miller, Cyril Grayson and Breshad Perriman could find themselves on the roster bubble. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times notes that a trio of UDFAs – Jerreth Sterns, Deven Thompkins and Kaylon Geiger – have stood out in camp so far, to the point where head coach Todd Bowles said “those guys are making a case” for spots on the 53-man roster. Several noteworthy cuts will be made in Tampa by the end of August, but who will be among them remains very much up in the air.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

June 30th, 2022 at 10:48am CST by Sam Robinson

Wednesday, we took a look at how the 2022 offseason changed the HC landscape. While 10 new sideline leaders are in place for 2022, not quite as much turnover transpired on the general manager front. Five new decision-makers, however, have moved to the top of teams’ front office hierarchies over the past six months.

The Bears, Giants, Raiders and Vikings rebooted their entire operations, hiring new HC-GM combos. The Minnesota move bumped out one of the previous top-10 longest-tenured GMs, with 16-year Vikings exec Rick Spielman no longer in power in the Twin Cities. The Steelers’ shakeup took the NFL’s longest-tenured pure GM out of the mix. Kevin Colbert was with the Steelers since 2000, and although he is still expected to remain with the team in a reduced capacity, the 22-year decision-maker stepped down shortly after Ben Roethlisberger wrapped his career.

Twelve teams have now hired a new GM in the past two offseasons, though a bit more staying power exists here compared to the HC ranks. Two GMs (the Cardinals’ Steve Keim and Chargers’ Tom Telesco) have begun their 10th years at the helms of their respective front offices. They have hired three HCs apiece. The Buccaneers’ Jason Licht is closing in on a decade in power in Tampa Bay; Licht will now work with his fourth HC in Todd Bowles. Beyond that, a bit of a gap exists. But a handful of other executives have been in power for at least five seasons.

Here is how long every GM or de facto GM has been in place with his respective franchise:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
  4. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  5. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  6. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010; signed extension in 2022
  7. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2019
  8. Steve Keim (Arizona Cardinals): January 8, 2013; signed extension in 2022
  9. Tom Telesco (Los Angeles Chargers): January 9, 2013; signed extension in 2018
  10. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  11. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  12. Jon Robinson (Tennessee Titans): January 14, 2016; signed extension in 2022
  13. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  14. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  15. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  16. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  17. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018
  18. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  19. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  20. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
  21. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  22. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  23. Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
  24. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
  25. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  26. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  27. Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders): January 22, 2021
  28. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  29. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  30. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  31. Dave Ziegler (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  32. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

NFL, NFLPA Attempted To Negotiate Deshaun Watson Punishment?

June 23rd, 2022 at 12:34pm CST by Sam Robinson

A lengthy Deshaun Watson suspension is believed to be coming soon, but the Browns continue to wait for that news to emerge. A full-season ban has become a real possibility for the quarterback who was accused by 24 women of sexual misconduct and/or sexual assault.

An independent officer, Sue Robinson, will decide on Watson’s discipline. That ruling is expected to happen before the Browns begin training camp. But Roger Goodell would handle an appeal. However, the NFL, NFLPA and Watson advisors entered talks about a negotiated punishment, Josina Anderson of USA Today tweets.

If a negotiated ban came to pass, Watson would waive his appeal right. These talks, however, broke down because the parties were not on the same page regarding suspension length, Anderson adds. This will keep the process moving toward Robinson’s decision.

If Robinson’s decision does not meet with NFLPA approval, the union plans to use recent punishments for teams and owners (or lack thereof) in its appeal. The NFLPA would cite NFL treatment of Dan Snyder, Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones in its Watson appeal, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes.

The NFL is believed to have changed its plans regarding what information was made public in its investigation into Snyder and the Commanders, which wrapped in 2021. That probe did not produce a written report of the league’s findings, leading to Congress becoming involved. The NFL fined the franchise $10MM, and Snyder gave up day-to-day operations. However, his involvement with the team since has been in question. Kraft pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanor counts of soliciting prostitution in connection with a January 2018 incident at a spa. The Patriots owner’s case was later dismissed, and no NFL punishment came down. The Cowboys paid a confidential $2.4MM settlement after four cheerleaders accused the team’s former senior vice president for public relations and communications, Rich Dalrymple, of voyeurism in the team’s locker room during a 2015 event at AT&T Stadium. The NFL did not investigate the Cowboys.

These arguments would bring other teams into the Browns’ controversy. The union believes its strategy would be more effective since the 2020 CBA moved Goodell further away from disciplinary matters, Florio adds. But with the NFL overseeing an appeal, it is unclear how much traction they will have considering both the volume of accusations levied against Watson and the league’s apparent hope for a year-long suspension.

Watson, who was not charged in connection with these accusations and has denied all wrongdoing, settled 20 of the 24 civil lawsuits against him this week. The NFL said that will not impact his potential punishment. The settlements will prevent Watson from going through most of his suits next year, which would take the prospect of the commissioner’s exempt list — something Goodell has already said would not apply here — completely off the table. If Watson were to miss 2022 games, it would only happen because of a suspension.

Jerry Jones Reaffirms Commitment To Mike McCarthy

June 17th, 2022 at 6:09pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ever since his decision to step away from coaching the Saints, Sean Payton has been connected to a number of positions around the league. Among those is a reunion with the Cowboys, but owner Jerry Jones is once again backing the team’s incumbent HC. 

Payton spent three season as Dallas’ QBs coach before being hired by the Saints in 2006. His tenure in New Orleans included the franchise’s lone Super Bowl title, but it came to an end this January. He won’t coach in 2022, instead trying his hand at broadcasting. The 58-year-old has still be linked to other, future, coaching roles during the offseason, however.

Chief among those is the reported deal in place with the Dolphins which would have seen him join Miami alongside Tom Brady if not for Brian Flores‘ racial discrimination lawsuit. More generally, his name has been used in discussions of Mike McCarthy‘s future with the Cowboys.

After a 6-10 campaign in 2020, the former Packers HC led the team to an NFC East title last season. That success was overshadowed by an underwhelming playoff loss, however, leading some to speculate that McCarthy could be on the way out. In the aftermath of their elimination, though, Jones made clear his support of the former Super Bowl winner. Jones reacted similarly when the idea of bringing Payton back came up again.

“Sean Payton shouldn’t be out there” he said, via Clarence E. Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “For him, the Cowboys, that’s just sheer out of the air. It’s well known we’re good friends and we think a lot of him as a head coach. But in this case… he shouldn’t be a conversation piece.”

While Jones added that “it’s also an eternity between right now and next year,” his commitment to McCarthy for 2022 is obvious. The Cowboys have a number of new faces – particularly along the offensive line and in the receiving corps – to work with for the upcoming campaign, one in which expectations will once again be high for the team. McCarthy’s performance will no doubt affect the future of his tenure, but for now it is safe.

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