Jason Garrett enters 2020 as Dallas Cowboys’ coach. How long he’ll remain is unknown.
It now seems official, Jason Garrett will open 2020 as coach of the Dallas Cowboys.
Don’t misconstrue the calendar year with the start of the football season.
But, to the surprise of many, the dawning of a new year will likely come with Garrett still on the throne as Cowboys coach.
The Cowboys season ended on Sunday with a 47-16 victory over the Washington Redskins, ensuring the fourth 8-8 finish of Garrett’s nine-year tenure.
He met with owner Jerry Jones and vice president Stephen Jones on Monday and Tuesday, per sources, but there was no resolution on his status. So the waiting game continues for Garrett, whose contract expires Jan. 14.
Garrett came into the 2019 season in the final year of a five-year, $30-million deal coaching for his job with the mandate of showing improvement by getting to the NFC title game or the Super Bowl to earn a contract extension.
The Cowboys went from a team with Super Bowl expectations to one of the NFL’s biggest disappointments, losing eight of their last 13 games, including two three-game losing streaks after a 3-0 start.
The most damning setbacks were a 24-22 loss to the 0-4 New York Jets in Week 6, a 28-24 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10 and a 17-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16 with the NFC East title on the line.
The Cowboys went into the final game of the season needing a loss by the Eagles against the New York Giants and victory against the Redskins to secure the NFC East title and a playoff berth. They were officially eliminated when the Eagles beat the Giants, 34-17.
It marked the seventh time since 2010 that the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs. The three playoff appearances in Garrett’s nine full seasons are the fewest in any decade since the birth of the franchise.
The deliberate process with Garrett over the last few days has been about respect and allowing him to complete exit interviews with his players on Tuesday.
There is no way the Cowboys will earnestly begin a new year and a new era without going in a new direction at head coach, right?
What is true is that if they do make a change, the elongated process could hamstring their ability to interview certain coaches.
Per NFL rules, coaches on playoff teams with a bye are only allowed to conduct interviews through Sunday, the final day of wildcard weekend.
That includes Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy or San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh -- three often rumored possible candidates. The Cleveland Browns have already set up interviews with Roman, Bienemy and Saleh, as well as Cowboys secondary coach Kris Richard. Bienemy is also set to talk with the New York Giants.
This story was originally published December 31, 2019 at 5:15 PM.
