FWST Blog: Dan Reeves Speaks
Dan Reeves picked up his phone and had this to say about the job that he had in the Cowboys, and then left in 48 hours.
Star-Telegram: How do you go from having a job and an office to leaving in 48 hours?
Dan Reeves: I’m certainly disappointed. It’s a situation where I thought it was done. Then there, all of a sudden, there was some language Jerry thought was important that I couldn’t live with. It’s unfortunate. So much of it Jerry had conceded on a lot of things, this one he felt like was important. I felt like it was important to me. We felt like if we couldn’t both feel really good about this deal that we shouldn’t move forward.
Basically that’s what it boiled down to.
Star-Telegram: What was the sticking point between you and Jerry Jones:
Dan Reeves: I really don't want to get into that.
Star-Telegram: Was it a matter of authority?
Dan Reeves: No. It wasn’t authority. It was perfectly clear I was going to answer to Wade and Jerry. I don’t want to get into the details. It was something he felt was important and I felt it was important to me. It had nothing to do with authority.
Star-Telegram: A perception exists that you didn’t want the 24/7 NFL workload; were you OK with that part of it?
Dan Reeves: I’ve worked full-time, and I’ve been involved in this business for a long time. I was willing to do whatever it took to get this thing to where he wanted it to be.
Star-Telegram: You had made some comments regarding the distraction element that exists with the Cowboys and by name you said Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens; did you have those types of conversations about the distractions that exists with the Cowboys?
Dan Reeves: I wasn’t there long enough to have those types of conversations. I think the Cowboys realize they have some distractions that keep them from being a team. Until they get a team to where everybody is on the same page it’s going to be a problem. I wasn’t there long enough to get into that.
Star-Telegram: You’ve been in the league forever, you had moved into an office and two days later you were out. Ever been in anything like that?
Dan Reeves: No. It’s very disappointing. I know it is for Jerry, too. He tried very hard. We both felt like if we both can’t feel comfortable we need to leave now while we’re still friends and move forward.
Star-Telegram: With Wade being more involved in the defense he’s going to be spend more time in those meetings, which could give you time to spend with Jason Garrett and the offense; would you have been a liaison in that sense?
Dan Reeves: If Wade asked me to come and see if I could help them and he’s going to spend more time on defense and I could help on offense I would have. I’ve been very impressed with Jason Garrett and their entire offensive staff. Or as much as I could in two and a half days. I know it would have worked and been a good deal.
Star-Telegram: Can you see yourself working in the NFL as a coach again?
Dan Reeves: I’d like to. But that’s the reason I went to San Francisco and the reason I went to Dallas. I had a great opportunity in San Francisco and I felt like Dallas was a better one. I would have been working in football and in other areas, too. I felt like that was something I could do. That’s what I’ve been involved in for 23 years as a coach. It was a chance to get back with the organization, I don’t think you ever get that star out of your blood. I was there for 16 years being involved with it. I was excited about. After meeting with Jerry for a few hours on Sunday and I felt it was going to work out. We had an agreement. We just couldn’t come to an agreement.
I wanted to be a guy who helped get that thing turned around, but it’s not going to happen.
- Mac Engel
Star-Telegram: How do you go from having a job and an office to leaving in 48 hours?
Dan Reeves: I’m certainly disappointed. It’s a situation where I thought it was done. Then there, all of a sudden, there was some language Jerry thought was important that I couldn’t live with. It’s unfortunate. So much of it Jerry had conceded on a lot of things, this one he felt like was important. I felt like it was important to me. We felt like if we couldn’t both feel really good about this deal that we shouldn’t move forward.
Basically that’s what it boiled down to.
Star-Telegram: What was the sticking point between you and Jerry Jones:
Dan Reeves: I really don't want to get into that.
Star-Telegram: Was it a matter of authority?
Dan Reeves: No. It wasn’t authority. It was perfectly clear I was going to answer to Wade and Jerry. I don’t want to get into the details. It was something he felt was important and I felt it was important to me. It had nothing to do with authority.
Star-Telegram: A perception exists that you didn’t want the 24/7 NFL workload; were you OK with that part of it?
Dan Reeves: I’ve worked full-time, and I’ve been involved in this business for a long time. I was willing to do whatever it took to get this thing to where he wanted it to be.
Star-Telegram: You had made some comments regarding the distraction element that exists with the Cowboys and by name you said Pacman Jones and Terrell Owens; did you have those types of conversations about the distractions that exists with the Cowboys?
Dan Reeves: I wasn’t there long enough to have those types of conversations. I think the Cowboys realize they have some distractions that keep them from being a team. Until they get a team to where everybody is on the same page it’s going to be a problem. I wasn’t there long enough to get into that.
Star-Telegram: You’ve been in the league forever, you had moved into an office and two days later you were out. Ever been in anything like that?
Dan Reeves: No. It’s very disappointing. I know it is for Jerry, too. He tried very hard. We both felt like if we both can’t feel comfortable we need to leave now while we’re still friends and move forward.
Star-Telegram: With Wade being more involved in the defense he’s going to be spend more time in those meetings, which could give you time to spend with Jason Garrett and the offense; would you have been a liaison in that sense?
Dan Reeves: If Wade asked me to come and see if I could help them and he’s going to spend more time on defense and I could help on offense I would have. I’ve been very impressed with Jason Garrett and their entire offensive staff. Or as much as I could in two and a half days. I know it would have worked and been a good deal.
Star-Telegram: Can you see yourself working in the NFL as a coach again?
Dan Reeves: I’d like to. But that’s the reason I went to San Francisco and the reason I went to Dallas. I had a great opportunity in San Francisco and I felt like Dallas was a better one. I would have been working in football and in other areas, too. I felt like that was something I could do. That’s what I’ve been involved in for 23 years as a coach. It was a chance to get back with the organization, I don’t think you ever get that star out of your blood. I was there for 16 years being involved with it. I was excited about. After meeting with Jerry for a few hours on Sunday and I felt it was going to work out. We had an agreement. We just couldn’t come to an agreement.
I wanted to be a guy who helped get that thing turned around, but it’s not going to happen.
- Mac Engel
posted by The Gryphon at 5:59 PM
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