Of course, Jerry Jones just had to address the elephant in the room during a pregame chat with beleaguered coach, Jason Garrett.
“You’re not about to wilt on me, are you?” the Dallas Cowboys owner asked Garrett, as he later recalled for USA TODAY Sports.
“He said, ‘No, I’m just getting going.’ “
Talk about pressure. As if pulling off an upset at Philadelphia wasn’t enough for Garrett, a report last week declared that his bosses have an “affinity” for Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley. That's hardly the ideal look when considering that rumblings all season about Garrett’s job status have enlivened the soap opera environment that might be titled, “As The Cowboys Turn.”
“We’ve had a little brotherhood, because both of us are really getting criticized,” Jones said, alluding to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman’s assertion that the dysfunctional organization needs widespread changes. “It’s pretty critical when you have ownership of the team and they’re telling you there needs to be an overhaul all the way through.
“If that’s going to make you get fainthearted, you’ve picked the wrong spot. But that’s kind of the tenor of the visit. I just said to him, ‘Hearing all this stuff, it doesn’t have you weak-kneed, does it?’ “
This underscores why Garrett, 72-60 (including a 1-2 playoff mark) in eight-plus seasons, has one of the toughest jobs in the NFL. He’s overshadowed by the large persona of his team’s owner/GM, which coincides with the glaring spotlight of the league’s most popular team. Then again, that comes with the territory. It’s the inconsistency of his team, which improved to 4-5 on Sunday, that fuels the hot-seat buzz.
Which brings us around to Riley, who trained Baker Mayfield and in just his second season as the Sooners’ head coach has fast become a hot name as the next cycle of NFL coaching moves formulates – especially with his former quarterback's Cleveland Browns team needing a new leader after firing Hue Jackson.
Asked if it’s dangerous that Riley’s name is already connected to the Cowboys while Garrett tries to rally the team into a playoff position, Jones said: “No, it’s not dangerous. It’s not frivolous. He’s an outstanding coach and exceptional. He’s had exceptional responsibility and success for where he is. I don’t think it’s dangerous at all.”
After seven NFL teams switched coaches last offseason, figure on at least a half-dozen teams to make moves this time around, and that might be a conservative estimate.
No, Garrett is hardly alone in facing hot-seat questions.
Just ask Rex Ryan, the twice-fired coach-turned-studio analyst. Ryan was adamant on ESPN in declaring that Jets coach Todd Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan are on the way out.
Meanwhile, CBS Sports reported that John Harbaugh and the Ravens are headed toward a mutual parting after the season (which would mean he would likely wind up at the front of the line for another job). Harbaugh, like Garrett, trying to inspire his team on a second-half playoff push, dismissed the reports…with humor.
During a news conference this week, he injected a classic line from "Animal House," saying it wasn’t over “when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor.”
But he knows, just as every coach in the NFL does: As difficult as it can be for the families of these coaches, the chatter and speculation will intensify for many of them as the season draws closer to its end.
Consider this: In 2016, Doug Pederson was panned as the “worst” of the seven head coaching hires by several outlets. Yet Pederson now has a Super Bowl ring. When Jackson was dumped by the Browns, it meant more than half of that 2016 class of new coaches (including Chip Kelly, Mike Mularkey and Ben McAdoo) were out. And patience is clearly in the equation for two others in Adam Gase and Dirk Koetter.
These days, coaches may be lucky to get three years.
The bigger issue: Who’s ready to take on a top job?
Probably every team with a vacancy will be looking for the next Sean McVay, a young, innovative coach who can invigorate a franchise and seemingly provide the kind of long-term solution the Rams found in 2017. Before McVay, similar appeal – and ultimately success – was found by the Steelers with Mike Tomlin and by the Saints with Sean Payton. That’s part of the reason there’s intrigue with Riley, 35, who is 21-3 since promoted from his post as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
But McVay, 32, the NFL’s youngest coach, was groomed on the pro level. Riley’s promise, bolstered by the pattern of NFL offenses increasingly incorporating college concepts, will come with the risk of whether his style will transition on the pro level.
Nonetheless, he seems bound to attract NFL attention, even though he has publicly maintained that he’s not seeking such a jump at this point. He’s wouldn’t be the first to take that position. For several years, Stanford’s David Shaw – who previously worked as an NFL assistant – has been on a short list of college coaches with NFL appeal. He hasn't been interested.
No, the next wave of NFL coaches will, as usual, largely come from the ranks of NFL assistants or former head coaches – Jim Caldwell? Jack Del Rio? – seeking another shot. Yet that can be tricky, too.
Relatively fresh names on the rise that are popping up include John DeFilippo, the Vikings’ new offensive coordinator, by way of Pederson’s staff in Philadelphia; Eric Bieniemy, promoted to became the Chiefs’ offensive coordinator after Matt Nagy landed with the Bears; Dan Campbell, the Saints’ assistant head coach; Kris Richard, the Cowboys’ defensive backs coach; and James Bettcher, the Giants’ defensive coordinator who was runner-up to Steve Wilks for the Arizona job last offseason.
George Edwards? Perhaps the Vikings’ defensive coordinator will become the next Mike Zimmer – a seasoned assistant who can make good when he finally gets a shot as the head man.
Meanwhile, familiar candidates such as Josh McDaniels (the Patriots’ offensive coordinator who backed out of the Colts job that eventually went to Frank Reich) and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will be mentioned. And the questions will beg: Are they better suited as coordinators?
See, there’s nothing automatic about the pool of candidates…or that the switch will pan out.
But one thing’s for certain. There’s no shortage of pressure.
Follow Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell.
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