Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is many things. A lack of loyalty is not one of them. Already known for hanging on to head coaches too long, Jones might soon face a decision on whether to keep Jason Garrett beyond the 2018 season.
Long considered to be on the hot seat, Garrett has won exactly one playoff game in his eight-plus seasons as head coach. All said, the Cowboys themselves have won two playoff games since the end of the 1996 season.
For many, Jones’ willingness to stay loyal to his head coaches has been an issue. Before Garrett, it was Wade Phillips. Before that? Both Bill Parcells and Dave Campo.
Writer Gary Myers, formerly of the Dallas Morning News and NY Daily News delved into this in his new book, “How ‘Bout Them Cowboys?” He gives us some insight about exactly what Jones is thinking behind the scenes.
“There seems to be a mandate at the beginning of every season that Garrett must get Dallas deep into the playoffs to keep his job,” Myers wrote. “But he is a survivor. Jones likes him and is averse to starting over with a new coach. He is comfortable with Garrett and may think this is as close as he will ever get to adding head coach to his many titles.”
This is a roundabout way of saying that Jones views Garett as his lap poodle. That he’s the head coach by extension.
The dynamic might in fact be different with a new head coach on the sideline. As America’s Team, these Cowboys could probably land any high-profile college head coach without much of an issue. The problem here is that said coach would likely demand more power. Jones doesn’t seem to be okay with that.
For now, Dallas heads into Week 5 at an average 2-2 on the season. It’s this same pedestrian performance that has come to define Garrett’s tenure. And in reality, Jones seems to be fine with it.