Scandrick, Garrett say there was no sideline tiff, just competitive talk

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick appeared to be going after coach Jason Garrett in heated fashion in the waning moments of Sunday’s 27-7 blowout loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

But what the television cameras caught was competitive passion, rather than a meltdown between coach and player, Scandrick and Garrett said after the game.

“Me and Coach Garrett was not going at it,” Scandrick said. “Me and Coach Garrett was having a passionate conversation and he just listened and I told him that we need to finish games. I don’t care if we’re up 20 or down 20. I think if you’re healthy and the way we compete around here and the way we preach about competing, we need to do that from Play 1 to play 60, however many we played. That’s just what I was expressing to him. I felt like at the end of the game, I pride myself on wanting to be out there.

“I sat out a whole year, couldn’t be out there and I thought that if you’re healthy enough you should be out there. It comes a point if you’re healthy you’ve got to be out there playing and you’ve got to want to get better and use these reps. That’s all that conversation was about.”

Scandrick was frustrated by Falcons running back Tevin Coleman seemingly going untouched for a 25-yard touchdown with 2 minutes left in the game. The play was called back because of a holding penalty.

Asked if there were any healthy starters not playing in the final moments, Scandrick declined to point the finger at his teammates.

“I’m not here talking about that,” Scandrick said. “I felt like we need to fight to the end … When they’re trying to run the clock out and scoring touchdowns and we get saved by penalties, that’s a problem. That looks bad. That looks bad on my leadership. That looks bad on all of our captains’ leadership, you know what I’m saying? I felt like me and Coach Garrett have that type of relationships that I can go speak to him. Whether the cameras are on or not, it is what it is. He knows I’m not disrespectful to him. I’ve got the utmost respect for him.”

Scandrick said Garrett understood.

Garrett, overhearing the conversation in the locker room, walked over and confirmed Scandrick’s side of the story whole calling the veteran cornerback one of the most competitive players he has ever been around.

This story was originally published November 12, 2017 at 11:10 PM with the headline "Scandrick, Garrett say there was no sideline tiff, just competitive talk."