Cowboys Rumors: Jason Garrett Could Keep Job If Dallas Reaches NFC Title Game
December 21, 2019
The Dallas Cowboys reportedly must at least advance to the NFC Championship Game for head coach Jason Garrett to keep his job following an up-and-down 2019 season.
Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported the update Saturday on NFL GameDay Kickoff:
The Cowboys sit atop the NFC East with a 7-7 record ahead of a crucial divisional clash with the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. A win would clinch a playoff berth for Dallas, while a loss would force it to beat the Washington Redskins next week and hope Philly loses to the New York Giants.
Team owner Jerry Jones hasn't committed to Garrett beyond this season, but he has stated on multiple occasions he didn't think an in-season switch was the right move.
"This is not the time for me [to make a coaching change]," Jones told reporters in November. "I'm looking ahead at another ballgame. I'm looking ahead at winning four or five straight and helping write a story they will talk about—how it looks like you're down and out. And I mean that. That's the way that I'm operating. Every decision that I make over the next month will be with an eye in mind to get us in the Super Bowl now."
Cowboys safety Jeff Heath, who joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2013, came to his coach's defense this week for putting the team in a position to win despite constant scrutiny.
"I feel like his job is always in the news since I've been here," Heath said. "He's never taken a different approach, in my opinion. Whether it's a preseason game, regular season, postseason game, Wednesday practices, Thursday, Friday—his message is the same, and guys really buy into his message."
Garrett took over as Dallas' coach on an interim basis in 2011 and in a full-time role the following year. He's posted an 84-66 record with three playoffs appearances over the past five years. The team has never reached the NFC title game during his tenure, though.
It sounds like the Cowboys will either end that drought or begin the search for a new head coach in 2020.