Dak Prescott wants coordinator Scott Linehan to return: ‘He means a lot to me’
Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett knows he will be back next year after a disappointing 2017 season.
The same can't be said for offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, whose unit became the ground zero for the Cowboys struggles over the past eight weeks of the season when they played themselves out of the playoffs.
Certainly, the loss of running back Ezekiel Elliott for six games played a big role in the team's 4-4 finish after opening the season 5-3 while averaging over 28 points per game.
Sunday's 6-0 season-ending victory against the Philadelphia Eagles marked the fifth time over the past eight games that the Cowboys scored less than 20 points and passed for less than 200 yards.
Garrett wouldn't broach the subject after the game.
“I have no considerations about that right now,” Garrett said. “We'll certainly look at everything.”
That is far from a ringing endorsement of an offensive coordinator given a contract extension less than a year ago. Quarterback Dak Prescott won rookie of the year honors in 2016 with the finest rookie season of any quarterback and NFL history and Elliott led the league in rushing as a rookie.
Prescott's struggles and that of the passing game in 2017 are the prime reason Linehan is on the hot seat. Receiver Dez Bryant blames Linehan's predictable schemes for his own declining performance.
However, Prescott, noting Linehan's role in his own success, says the offensive coordinator is not the problem and wants him to return.
“I have 120 percent belief in him, 200 percent belief in him,” Prescott said. “He (deserves) a lot of credit for my success in this league. Everything that I’ve done, teaching the game, breaking the game down. I’m not into all the speculation and things like that. I hope he’s here. I hope we figure it out. He means a lot to me.”
Clarence Hill: 817-390-7760, @clarencehilljr
This story was originally published December 31, 2017 at 6:12 PM with the headline "Dak Prescott wants coordinator Scott Linehan to return: ‘He means a lot to me’."