4 potential new Cowboys coaches now that Jason Garrett has been fired

It’s now official: Jason Garrett will not return as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, after nine seasons and two playoff wins.

For a snapshot of his inconsistency, he alternated playoff trip and home for January from 2014 through 2019:

2014: 12-4, one playoff win
2015: 4-12
2016: 13-3, playoff loss
2017: 9-7
2018: 10-6, one playoff win
2019: 8-8

So now Jerry Jones must look for a new coach, and here are two things you need to remember about his process: He’s a 77-year old billionaire who also is chiefly in charge of personnel decisions. The narrative is that Jerry Jones wants a puppet, someone he can control who won’t steal the headlines from him.

As much as Cowboys fans dismiss that, facts and history say otherwise. Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer won a combined three titles in the ’80s and ’90s, but also got the lion’s share of the spotlight (some might say credit, too).

Four of the five Dallas coaches since have been guys have not been high profile hires, and they were clearly okay with Jerry doing radio spots — how many other owners do that? — and holding court with the media after almost every game. That’s unheard of. Perhaps the circle around Jones will tell him he needs to step out of the media spotlight and let the coach and players do their thing. But good luck with that.

Before I get to the list of names, one name you will not see below is Urban Meyer. Yes, I work in the same building with him, no, we have not spoken. He’s one of the greatest coaches in college football history, as only six coaches have more titles than him (3). If he wanted this job, it was his yesterday. I believe Jones will be able to land one of these four coaches: