History will prove Garrett made the right decision
by Dennis Dillon
Most NFL assistants go through their entire careers without getting even a sniff at a head coaching job. This week alone, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett was courted by two teams that have vacancies at the top of their coaching staffs. And you know what he told them?
Thanks, but no thanks.
The Atlanta Falcons, who have been looking for a head coach since Bobby Petrino abruptly resigned with three weeks left in the season, met with Garrett for a second time. The Ravens, who fired Brian Billick after a disastrous 5-11 record, actually offered Garrett a contract.
Garrett listened to their overtures, considered his options -- and decided to stay in Dallas.
A lot of folks probably think Garrett is crazy for turning down those opportunities. I happen to think he's smart. After all, he has a degree in history at Princeton.
Staying on with the Cowboys makes a lot of sense for the 42-year-old Garrett.
Let's start with the money (doesn't everything begin with the money?).
Garrett may not get as much to stay in Dallas as he would have if he had taken a job in Baltimore or Atlanta, but you better believe he'll receive a big pay raise. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a big fan of Garrett's -- it's nice to have a rich, powerful man in your corner -- and you can bet he'll take care of Garrett.
Don't forget: Jones hired Garrett to be offensive coordinator last offseason -- before he hired Wade Phillips as his coach. It doesn't take much reading between the lines to figure out that Garrett likely will be Jones' choice to succeed Phillips when the time comes.
Now, let's look at the franchise situations. The Cowboys are a good team now that figures to get even better in the next two or three years. Yes, I know they haven't won a playoff game since 1996 and were bounced out of the postseason in their opening games each of the past two years. But they have a slew of playmakers, including quarterback Tony Romo, running back Marion Barber, wide receiver Terrell Owens, tight end Jason Witten, linebacker DeMarcus Ware and defensive end Greg Ellis. They carved out a 13-3 record during Phillips' first season as coach. And you could argue that they were the best team in the NFC during the regular season.
The Ravens have been on a gradual decline since they won the Super Bowl after the 2000 season. They never could muster a potent offense under Billick, which is mystifying because he came to Baltimore with the reputation as an offensive guru. And now injuries and age are starting to infiltrate the defense that has carried the team on its back for so many years.
The Falcons have been on an even steeper slope since they lost the Super Bowl after the 1998 season. They have had three winning records in the eight years since then, and they are 8-8, 7-9 and 4-12 in the past three years.
Finally, let's look at the quarterback situations -- which can eventually make or break any head coach.
Dallas has Romo. I don't care if his star has been tarnished by the back-to-back early playoff exits. Romo is a player on the rise and he's only going to get better with Garrett coaching him. With the exception of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger -- and perhaps Carson Palmer -- there's no other QB I'd rather have to build my offense around for the long term.
The quarterback position in Baltimore has been a turnstile for years. In they come, out they go. Now they have a past-his-prime, injury-prone Steve McNair and a never-has-lived-up-to-his potential Kyle Boller. Neither looks like a reason the Ravens can get to the playoffs.
And you know about the Falcons' mess. Dog's worst enemy Michael Vick is out of Atlanta's picture -- probably forever -- and of the four quarterbacks who started games for the team this season none looks like he's the kind who'll keep defensive coordinators from sleeping at night.
Garrett was a Cowboys quarterback who backed up Troy Aikman from 1993 to 1999. Maybe he thinks he has some unfinished business in Dallas. Perhaps he believes he's not quite ready to be a head coach; he's only been an NFL assistant for three years, and a coordinator for one year. But I don't think it will be long before he's the head man on some team's sideline.
But for now, Garrett's best move was not moving at all. As they say in the beer commercial, "Brilliant!" And you don't have to be an Ivy Leaguer to figure that out. Dennis Dillon is a senior writer for Sporting News.
Most NFL assistants go through their entire careers without getting even a sniff at a head coaching job. This week alone, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett was courted by two teams that have vacancies at the top of their coaching staffs. And you know what he told them?
Thanks, but no thanks.
The Atlanta Falcons, who have been looking for a head coach since Bobby Petrino abruptly resigned with three weeks left in the season, met with Garrett for a second time. The Ravens, who fired Brian Billick after a disastrous 5-11 record, actually offered Garrett a contract.
Garrett listened to their overtures, considered his options -- and decided to stay in Dallas.
A lot of folks probably think Garrett is crazy for turning down those opportunities. I happen to think he's smart. After all, he has a degree in history at Princeton.
Staying on with the Cowboys makes a lot of sense for the 42-year-old Garrett.
Let's start with the money (doesn't everything begin with the money?).
Garrett may not get as much to stay in Dallas as he would have if he had taken a job in Baltimore or Atlanta, but you better believe he'll receive a big pay raise. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is a big fan of Garrett's -- it's nice to have a rich, powerful man in your corner -- and you can bet he'll take care of Garrett.
Don't forget: Jones hired Garrett to be offensive coordinator last offseason -- before he hired Wade Phillips as his coach. It doesn't take much reading between the lines to figure out that Garrett likely will be Jones' choice to succeed Phillips when the time comes.
Now, let's look at the franchise situations. The Cowboys are a good team now that figures to get even better in the next two or three years. Yes, I know they haven't won a playoff game since 1996 and were bounced out of the postseason in their opening games each of the past two years. But they have a slew of playmakers, including quarterback Tony Romo, running back Marion Barber, wide receiver Terrell Owens, tight end Jason Witten, linebacker DeMarcus Ware and defensive end Greg Ellis. They carved out a 13-3 record during Phillips' first season as coach. And you could argue that they were the best team in the NFC during the regular season.
The Ravens have been on a gradual decline since they won the Super Bowl after the 2000 season. They never could muster a potent offense under Billick, which is mystifying because he came to Baltimore with the reputation as an offensive guru. And now injuries and age are starting to infiltrate the defense that has carried the team on its back for so many years.
The Falcons have been on an even steeper slope since they lost the Super Bowl after the 1998 season. They have had three winning records in the eight years since then, and they are 8-8, 7-9 and 4-12 in the past three years.
Finally, let's look at the quarterback situations -- which can eventually make or break any head coach.
Dallas has Romo. I don't care if his star has been tarnished by the back-to-back early playoff exits. Romo is a player on the rise and he's only going to get better with Garrett coaching him. With the exception of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger -- and perhaps Carson Palmer -- there's no other QB I'd rather have to build my offense around for the long term.
The quarterback position in Baltimore has been a turnstile for years. In they come, out they go. Now they have a past-his-prime, injury-prone Steve McNair and a never-has-lived-up-to-his potential Kyle Boller. Neither looks like a reason the Ravens can get to the playoffs.
And you know about the Falcons' mess. Dog's worst enemy Michael Vick is out of Atlanta's picture -- probably forever -- and of the four quarterbacks who started games for the team this season none looks like he's the kind who'll keep defensive coordinators from sleeping at night.
Garrett was a Cowboys quarterback who backed up Troy Aikman from 1993 to 1999. Maybe he thinks he has some unfinished business in Dallas. Perhaps he believes he's not quite ready to be a head coach; he's only been an NFL assistant for three years, and a coordinator for one year. But I don't think it will be long before he's the head man on some team's sideline.
But for now, Garrett's best move was not moving at all. As they say in the beer commercial, "Brilliant!" And you don't have to be an Ivy Leaguer to figure that out. Dennis Dillon is a senior writer for Sporting News.
posted by The Gryphon at 10:08 AM
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