Two-time Super Bowl champion Jason Garrett was once seen as a rising star in the NFL coaching circle. He finally received his opportunity in 2010 when he became head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Although Garrett, a former NFL quarterback himself, frequently operated high-powered offenses during his time in Dallas, his teams could never get past the Divisional Round.
Surprisingly, Garrett landed another gig with the New York Giants directly after getting let go from the Cowboys as an offensive coordinator. His second stint in New York didn’t last very long either, as Garrett was fired after just one-and-a-half season as the Giants’ play-caller. Now back on the street, Garrett will be looking for his next gig.
Since his most recent time as a coordinator didn’t go well, he figures to either have to land a job as an offensive consultant within the NFL or possibly head to the college ranks as a team’s head coach, which would be his first college coaching stint.
Along those collegiate lines, Duke recently let go longtime head coach David Cutcliffe and could be looking for another experienced offensive mind who can help turn around a prestigious program. That’s where Jason Garrett may enter the picture.
According to Steve Wiseman of the News & Observer, Duke has Garrett on their radar, along with Texas A&M defensive coordinator Mike Elko and Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott. Neither of the other two has any head coaching experience, whereas Garrett has done it at the highest level. Although, both coaches are among the highest-paid assistants in the nation.
Should Garrett ultimately land the job with the Blue Devils, it would be a bit ironic. Daniel Jones went to Duke and was coached by Cutcliffe and then got coached by Garrett on the Giants. Cutcliffe also coached Eli Manning when he was at Ole Miss before the Giants selected him in 2004.