Jerry Jones says report of Cowboy’s interest in OU’s Lincoln Riley ‘total speculation’

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones shot down an NFL Network report that the team had an “affinity” for Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley as a possible replacement for head coach Jason Garrett.

He also said the report that the Cowboys contemplated firing offensive coordinator Scott Linehan during the bye was false.

“That is completely false,” Jones said on his radio show on 105.3 The Fan. “It was never a discussion. Never a thought on my part. That didn’t happen. We never contemplated Scott not calling the players or doing something different with Scott.”

Jones admires the work Riley has done at Oklahoma and understands why he would be linked to the Cowboys.

But he said the report was “pulling it out of the air” and “total speculation” in terms of the Cowboys currently evaluating him as a replacement for Garrett.

“Again, that would be total drawing it out of the air,” Jones said. “Coach Riley is outstanding. What he is doing is real impressive. Doesn’t surprise me because of proximity and his success that when talk comes of the Cowboys changing coaches a coach of his stature would come into the picture but total speculation.”

This story was originally published November 13, 2018 at 9:58 AM.