Cowboys teaching search: Why Jason Witten would possibly make sense for Dallas on this second

The Dallas Cowboys got here actually hours wanting beginning the 2024 season with a seemingly unprecedented ultimatum in direction of their future. Discover the elusive success within the postseason that’s escaped them since 1996, or each head coach Mike McCarthy’s and quarterback Dak Prescott’s contracts would expire, leaving the choice to begin throughout on the two most necessary positions on the group proper in entrance of Jerry Jones and the entrance workplace. As an alternative, Prescott was given the richest contract in NFL historical past simply previous to beating the Cleveland Browns in week one. This might be be considered one of simply three wins in eight begins for Prescott, who was misplaced for the season after being injured towards the Atlanta Falcons. The Cowboys completed 7-10 and a distant third to 2 division rivals nonetheless taking part in into the Divisional playoffs with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.

On Monday although, nonetheless simply eight days faraway from their final sport of the 12 months, the Cowboys accomplished the journey of turning Prescott from an offseason bargaining chip to fortifying his place within the franchise’s new path ahead much more. Dallas selected to maneuver on from head coach Mike McCarthy on the finish of his contract, and along with his departure most of his assistants who have been additionally on expiring offers, together with defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, are anticipated to be on the best way out as properly. The Cowboys are in search of a completely contemporary begin from a training perspective, however the best non-negotiable factor that will likely be necessary for the following head coach is working with Prescott nonetheless in place because the franchise quarterback.

The identical expectation was placed on McCarthy to work with Prescott, which he did for 5 seasons, the primary three of which he stored offensive coordinator Kellen Moore in place. McCarthy took over play-calling in 2023, and his two seasons because the voice within the QBs helmet supplied the varieties of highs and lows the Cowboys selected to maneuver on from in quest of extra consistency, and a way of urgency to maximise Prescott’s expertise on this new contract.

In typical Dallas Cowboys style, the group was barely late to affix the top teaching search sport by letting McCarthy’s standing drag on a bit. The Cowboys now be part of the Bears, Saints, Jets, Jaguars, and Raiders as franchises in search of their subsequent head coaches. Solely the Patriots job has come off the board to date, with a reunion everybody within the soccer world noticed coming between former Patriot Mike Vrabel and New England. The opposite 5 groups nonetheless open all have accomplished or scheduled at the least 4 interviews whereas the Cowboys are simply getting began casting their internet. Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson has already talked with the Bears and Jaguars and is scheduled to interview with the Raiders. Thought of the highest candidate by many, at the least for a group just like the Cowboys with a QB already in place, Johnson was additionally in consideration by the Patriots earlier than hiring Vrabel.

The Cowboys very preliminary search to date has introduced up the names of two former gamers, each polarizing figures serving to draw the fixed consideration the Cowboys search in direction of them. They’re Colorado head coach Deion Sanders and, a bit extra obscurely, Jason Witten.

Troy Aikman’s feedback adopted an Adam Schefter report.

Schefter: “I think at some point in time, [the Dallas Cowboys] could have some level of interest in the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore. Potentially maybe Jason Witten, an all-time franchise great…” #NFL https://t.co/KVQjlIihBq pic.twitter.com/xvddyFVVuf

— Terrible Asserting (@awfulannouncing) January 13, 2025

At a time limit for the franchise the place it has turn into extra fashionable for former gamers like Troy Aikman to place the group down versus lifting them up, saying issues in-season just like the Cowboys offense runs “terrible routes” and now on Monday that their head teaching emptiness “isn’t coveted”, there’s validity to bringing in two profitable former gamers to at very least interview for the place.

A part of the Cowboys choice to maneuver on from McCarthy might have been about overrating the tradition and locker room elements of his teaching capability, issues that take a backseat on sport days to calling performs which McCarthy did ineffectively in his remaining season. This isn’t in any respect to say that these qualities in a potential head coach don’t matter, particularly for the Cowboys as at present constructed with Jones in place as GM and proprietor. If the final word purpose remains to be to win soccer video games although, the Cowboys might do higher than McCarthy, and at the moment are wading into the waters of discovering out how significantly better they will really do with out a lot of a life preserver. They’re swimming at their very own threat within the teaching free company pool, unable to place their ft on the bottom and speak to candidates like Johnson, Aaron Glenn, Kellen Moore, or Kliff Kingsbury till their respective seasons finish.

Within the interim interval earlier than the Cowboys can contemplate a few of these different teaching candidates, the thought of hiring a coach like Jason Witten ought to be embraced – or at very least obtained with a way of openness – by the fanbase. It’s the kind of threat the group has been averse to for many years, and a method or one other might assist them get nearer on the ladder in direction of the “escape hatch” we talked about with each McCarthy and Prescott from the beginning of this previous fruitless season. Assuming Witten wouldn’t name performs, the Cowboys would have their fourth play caller for Prescott in ten seasons.

Versus the flimsy means through which McCarthy talked about his culture-building solely at instances it suited him, going from a coach embracing championship expectations upon his hiring in 2020 to speaking about his want to proceed “putting a program in place” on the podium following a seven-win season that fell means wanting the playoffs, the Cowboys would get this in a extra pure means with Witten.

Probably the most revered former Cowboys of a number of generations, Witten can also be one of the crucial notable faces of the unlucky means the Cowboys have wasted Corridor of Fame stage expertise with out playoff success for years. Ought to he be given the prospect to talk on wanting to vary this notion in Dallas, it will come from a real place that only a few former gamers or coaches anyplace might relate to. Irrespective of who his QB was, Witten was at all times a dependable goal with a complicated understanding of the protection in entrance of him and learn how to beat them.

It could be arduous to recollect particular, non-game associated moments of Jason Garrett’s tenure as head coach, however one of many absolute most notable was speaking about Witten’s presentation to the group breaking down the “Y Option” route he made a dwelling on at Witten’s retirement press convention. Garrett known as it “simply the greatest presentation he’s ever seen in football”. One solely has to contemplate Garrett’s expertise particular to the Cowboys, as a participant and coach, and pass over every part else which incorporates ongoing work as a TV analyst to understand how profound a praise that is from Garrett to Witten.

Garrett might not have any present affect on who the following head coach of the Cowboys will likely be, as Dallas seems for his or her third head coach since 2011 with Garrett occupying 9 of these years because the full-time head coach. Jerry Jones actually does have this affect, and he too has echoed a few of the identical sentiment about not solely Witten as an individual and former participant, however going a step additional to beforehand talk about his prospects as a future coach.

Jones introduced up Witten unprompted whereas answering a query about former Cowboy Dan Campbell and the quick success he’s had as head coach of the Lions. Campbell can also be an amazing present instance of a head coach relieved of any sport day play-calling duties, deferring to 2 of the most popular head coach candidates as his present coordinators in Johnson and DC Aaron Glenn. The Cowboys must implement one thing related with Witten, surrounding him with high assistants and letting him flourish in different roles each in sport preparation and administration.

Witten could be making the soar from a highschool head coach to the NFL, which is a bit like going from a Little Tikes automotive in a driveway to a Components 1 machine on the streets of Monaco. The chance the Cowboys could be taking on this rent would assist flip a story seen as a destructive on the subject of Jones and his relation to go coaches, into probably extra of a constructive. Jones gave Garrett a decade-long leash with out playoff success, and minimize this time in half for McCarthy after additionally failing to get out of the Divisional Spherical. Discovering the proper steadiness between endurance with a training employees and figuring out when it’s time for a change is just not one thing many NFL groups can satisfaction themselves on getting proper with exceptional accuracy, however the notion of Jones giving Witten time to develop into being a NFL coach for the primary time has a distinct really feel than letting a extra skilled coach take the reigns for a protracted time frame.

Proper now, the attract of going right into a season with Witten as an unknown teaching commodity beats the choice the Cowboys simply dragged themselves via for 17 video games, figuring out precisely who they have been by their very own design – a foul, ill-prepared, directionless soccer group. Hiring Witten is clearly removed from the one possibility for the Cowboys to really feel like they’re not off course once more, nevertheless it is among the few prospects with advantage this early right into a search course of handcuffed by the continuing playoffs for a couple of extra weeks.

Ron T. Ennis/Fort Price Star-Telegram/Tribune Information Service by way of Getty Photos

Jones remains to be concerned closely within the day-to-day operations of the group on sport weeks as properly, one thing that from afar has been famous as a possible detriment to go coaches seeking to do issues their means. This may occasionally have been the case beneath McCarthy, serious about prolonging his time with the group above all else, however placing Jones and Witten collectively in a room with the previous tight finish having the area to inform it like it’s about what must be achieved is an enchanting dynamic on the subject of Jones really listening. Tony Romo might have been Jones’ “biggest regret” on the subject of former gamers he didn’t win a championship with, however Witten – nicknamed Romo’s “BFF” for years – ought to be thought-about one thing of a detailed second.

As for the remainder of the “other stuff” because it’s known as on the subject of how a Cowboys HC has to navigate a relationship with Jerry and accomplish that within the nationwide highlight, all of it is probably not going away anytime too quickly, however a head coach with out play-calling duties being requested to navigate it could be the best approach to deal with it.

If the upside of what the Cowboys are getting in Jason Witten is their very own Dan Campbell, the draw back is price noting as properly. The chance in addition they find yourself with the following Antonio Peirce or Jeff Saturday as former gamers in over their heads as coaches is on the desk. For a group desperately making an attempt to reclaim championship glory, with a quickly rising quantity of followers that know them extra for playoff failures than something near hoisting the Lombardi trophy, this growth or bust potential as they navigate the remainder of Prescott’s contract may very well be for one of the best.

The Cowboys have too usually fallen into the lure of feeling like they’re set at one place or one other due to a small pattern measurement of video games performed or counting on gamers with the arrow pointing as much as at all times keep that means. Versus nonetheless making an attempt to suit the sq. peg right into a spherical gap when seeking to make this present roster a Tremendous Bowl one, much more layers might have to be peeled again earlier than Dallas will get there, and realizing this beneath the steering of a person that’s by no means going to say the unsuitable factor or embarass the proud group alongside the best way is a chance.

Prescott himself had advocated for McCarthy to return, forging a robust connection to the offensive-minded head coach the identical means he did with Garrett. To say two former teammates in Prescott and Witten also can discover this connection is just not a stretch in any respect. The upside of Jason Witten as a head coach on sport days can also be in an space the Cowboys have been sorely missing in, which is their issue stage in being scouted by opponents. Opponents have had it too straightforward placing the Cowboys right into a field and figuring out what they will do in sport conditions for much too lengthy now, however hiring a coach with solely highschool expertise to this point might change that. Not solely would groups on the Cowboys schedule need to do some guessing on the subject of what Witten has within the sport plan, however they may very well be coping with two new coordinators on each side of the ball for Dallas in 2025 and past as properly.

Matthew Emmons-Imagn Photos

Like something in skilled soccer, the method issues simply as a lot because the outcomes. Ought to Jason Witten really be the following head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, how they arrive there will likely be of important significance. Will the Cowboys at the least get an opportunity to speak to Ben Johnson or Aaron Glenn of the Lions? Will they give the impression of being to have an offensive coordinator in place earlier than going the route of hiring a coach like Witten? Is negotiating a brand new cope with Mike Zimmer as defensive coordinator nonetheless on the desk? This complete course of will likely be put beneath a microscope to permit the Cowboys to finally do what they do greatest, keep related even when there are not any video games to be performed.

Think about dwelling in a world the place Jason Witten is the top coach of a Dak Prescott led group with Tony Romo on the decision for CBS?