Jason Garrett Says He's 'Grateful' for Time with Cowboys After Joining Giants

The Dallas Cowboys fired former head coach Jason Garrett after a 2019 season in which the team was unable to reach the postseason.

But Garrett landed with a divisional rival, the New York Giants, as Joe Judge's offensive coordinator. On Tuesday, Garrett spoke about valuing his time with Dallas but looking forward to his time in New York, per Art Stapleton of USA Today:

"I just want to acknowledge my time in Dallas, and how grateful I am for that whole experience, you know, everyone in the Cowboy organization for the opportunity and for the support and for the lifelong friendships that I made. The players, the coaches and the staff members who were with me and made my life way better. I am eternally grateful to that and really appreciative of having that in my life and for that experience. Awfully proud of the programs we built and the teams we had, we had a lot of great days there. So again, I'm very grateful for that experience and for the people who made that experience what it was. Having said that, you know, this is a new day and I'm awfully excited about being part of the New York Football Giants."

Garrett spent parts of 10 seasons (2010-19) as the Cowboys head coach, going 85-67 in his time with the team. The Cowboys reached the postseason just three times on his watch, however, and were just 2-3 in the playoffs. 

\Garrett's offenses did finish in the top 10 in yards eight times and points seven times, which is good news for the Giants. Granted, Garrett will be leaving one of the best offensive lines in football behind and going from the likes of Tony Romo and Dak Prescott to sophomore quarterback Daniel Jones. That will be an adjustment. 

How Garrett aids the development of Jones will be key. Thus far, Garrett has liked what he's seen from the young quarterback. 

"There's no question he is a football guy. He loves football and he's always so prepared, he's always studying his stuff, he always has great questions—he wants to get better," he said. "And my experience has been, when you have that kind of approach and that kind of attitude, if you have some ability, you're gonna keep growing and getting better every day, and he's certainly done that."

Garrett will also have one of the best playmakers in all of football at his disposal in running back Saquon Barkley. 

"He's just one of those guys who's such a good football player," Garrett said. "We had to try to tackle him in Dallas and all of our energy was put on that, because he's such a difference-making player."

The Giants—who have reached the postseason just once in the past eight years and have missed the playoffs in three straight years—will be hoping Garrett can get the best of players like Jones and Barkley and help speed along the team's rebuild.