Russ Spence
Commercial Pressure Wash Expert
The Dallas Cowboys added Jason Garrett to their coaching staff Thursday night, and said he would remain a candidate to replace retired head coach Bill Parcells.
Garrett, the backup to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman for two Super Bowl titles in Dallas from 1993-99, was quarterbacks coach in Miami the last two seasons -- his only coaching experience. Garrett also had been in line to become the Dolphins' offensive coordinator for new head coach Cam Cameron.
The Cowboys said Garrett's responsibilities and title won't be determined until the head coaching search is complete. The most likely scenario, however, is that Garrett will become the offensive coordinator if he's not the head coach.
"The nature and timing of this hire is unique in that we were dealing with a limited window of time in which to talk to Jason about returning to Dallas," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.
The Dolphins gave Dallas permission to talk to the 40-year-old Garrett, but also told the former quarterback that he had to decide by Thursday if he was going to sign a contract extension. That deadline passed with Garrett still in Texas.
"Jason is someone who is held in high regard as a bright offensive mind throughout the NFL," Jones said. "We are grateful to the Dolphins for granting the Cowboys permission to explore this opportunity. Jason will now proceed further in our head coaching search as an in-house candidate."
San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, the former head coach at Denver and Buffalo who also had interim stints in New Orleans and Atlanta, is scheduled to interview Friday about the head coaching vacancy.
The Cowboys also plan to talk to San Francisco offensive coordinator Norv Turner, a former head coach for Washington and Oakland, and New Orleans defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs. Both are former Dallas assistants. It wasn't clear when those interviews would take place, but Turner is coaching the Senior Bowl on Saturday.
Parcells retired Monday after going 34-32 with two playoff losses in four seasons with the Cowboys, ending a 19-season career that included two Super Bowl titles with the New York Giants.
On Tuesday, Jones interviewed three of Parcells' assistant coaches: assistant head coach Tony Sparano, receivers coach Todd Haley and secondary coach Todd Bowles, who is a minority coach.
Haley became the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator Thursday.
Phillips has a 48-39 record with New Orleans (1985), Denver (1993-94), Buffalo (1998-2000) and Atlanta (2003). He was an interim for the Saints when he took over for his father, Bum, for four games, and with the Falcons was interim head coach for three games after Dan Reeves.
Gibbs was head coach at the University of Oklahoma for six seasons after replacing Barry Switzer in 1989. When Sean Payton left Parcells' staff to become New Orleans' head coach last year, he took Gibbs with him to run the defense.
Turner was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1991-93, when they won consecutive Super Bowls with Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin. Turner had a 58-82-1 record as head coach in Washington (1994-00) and Oakland (2004-05).
Garrett was an NFL quarterback for 12 seasons, his first season with the Cowboys being Turner's last. After Dallas, Garrett spent four seasons with the New York Giants and split 2004 between Tampa Bay and Miami before retiring. He played in 40 regular season games, his only nine starts coming with the Cowboys.
Regardless of whether he remains an assistant or becomes the head coach, Garrett will have a role in the continued development of quarterback Tony Romo, who took over as the Cowboys starter midway through this season and was named the NFC Pro Bowl team.
Romo won five of his first six starts before losing four of the last five, including 21-20 to Seattle in the NFC wild-card game after Romo bobbled a snap as a kick holder. That kept Martin Gramatica from attempting a short game-winning field goal, and Romo got tackled just shy of both a first down and the goal line.
The Giants have asked for permission to talk with Cowboys quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer about serving in the same capacity in New York.
Garrett, the backup to Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman for two Super Bowl titles in Dallas from 1993-99, was quarterbacks coach in Miami the last two seasons -- his only coaching experience. Garrett also had been in line to become the Dolphins' offensive coordinator for new head coach Cam Cameron.
The Cowboys said Garrett's responsibilities and title won't be determined until the head coaching search is complete. The most likely scenario, however, is that Garrett will become the offensive coordinator if he's not the head coach.
"The nature and timing of this hire is unique in that we were dealing with a limited window of time in which to talk to Jason about returning to Dallas," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said in a statement.
The Dolphins gave Dallas permission to talk to the 40-year-old Garrett, but also told the former quarterback that he had to decide by Thursday if he was going to sign a contract extension. That deadline passed with Garrett still in Texas.
"Jason is someone who is held in high regard as a bright offensive mind throughout the NFL," Jones said. "We are grateful to the Dolphins for granting the Cowboys permission to explore this opportunity. Jason will now proceed further in our head coaching search as an in-house candidate."
San Diego defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, the former head coach at Denver and Buffalo who also had interim stints in New Orleans and Atlanta, is scheduled to interview Friday about the head coaching vacancy.
The Cowboys also plan to talk to San Francisco offensive coordinator Norv Turner, a former head coach for Washington and Oakland, and New Orleans defensive coordinator Gary Gibbs. Both are former Dallas assistants. It wasn't clear when those interviews would take place, but Turner is coaching the Senior Bowl on Saturday.
Parcells retired Monday after going 34-32 with two playoff losses in four seasons with the Cowboys, ending a 19-season career that included two Super Bowl titles with the New York Giants.
On Tuesday, Jones interviewed three of Parcells' assistant coaches: assistant head coach Tony Sparano, receivers coach Todd Haley and secondary coach Todd Bowles, who is a minority coach.
Haley became the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator Thursday.
Phillips has a 48-39 record with New Orleans (1985), Denver (1993-94), Buffalo (1998-2000) and Atlanta (2003). He was an interim for the Saints when he took over for his father, Bum, for four games, and with the Falcons was interim head coach for three games after Dan Reeves.
Gibbs was head coach at the University of Oklahoma for six seasons after replacing Barry Switzer in 1989. When Sean Payton left Parcells' staff to become New Orleans' head coach last year, he took Gibbs with him to run the defense.
Turner was the Cowboys' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 1991-93, when they won consecutive Super Bowls with Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin. Turner had a 58-82-1 record as head coach in Washington (1994-00) and Oakland (2004-05).
Garrett was an NFL quarterback for 12 seasons, his first season with the Cowboys being Turner's last. After Dallas, Garrett spent four seasons with the New York Giants and split 2004 between Tampa Bay and Miami before retiring. He played in 40 regular season games, his only nine starts coming with the Cowboys.
Regardless of whether he remains an assistant or becomes the head coach, Garrett will have a role in the continued development of quarterback Tony Romo, who took over as the Cowboys starter midway through this season and was named the NFC Pro Bowl team.
Romo won five of his first six starts before losing four of the last five, including 21-20 to Seattle in the NFC wild-card game after Romo bobbled a snap as a kick holder. That kept Martin Gramatica from attempting a short game-winning field goal, and Romo got tackled just shy of both a first down and the goal line.
The Giants have asked for permission to talk with Cowboys quarterbacks coach Chris Palmer about serving in the same capacity in New York.