It’s no secret that Jason Garrett’s message in the Cowboys locker room seemed to grow stale last season. Though they were considered one of the most talented teams in the league, the Cowboys failed to break .500 in 2019 and they missed the playoffs.
The longtime head coach of the Cowboys had a uniform coaching style, always preaching “the team” over all else. It’s pretty common football terminology, but you could see why playing under the same boss in this culture year after year would take its toll.
Cowboys cornerback Anthony Brown seemed to speak to this staleness after practice on Friday, saying that it’s a “totally different environment walking in the building” under new head coach Mike McCarthy. He went on to call it a “breath of fresh air,” obviously indicating how exciting he is about the change in styles at the top of the organization.
Cowboys CB Anthony Brown on difference from Jason Garrett to Mike McCarthy: "So far, it's just a totally different environment walking in the building now. …He gives us more opportunity to express ourselves, I would say." Full quote. pic.twitter.com/mhIToPAz76
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) August 28, 2020
What’s most interesting about this quote is Brown’s next line, though, where he says McCarthy gives them the “opportunity to express” themselves. Jerry and Stephen Jones have been consistent in their messaging around what it means to be a “Dallas Cowboy,” and often it goes against some of the more popular opinions among players.
McCarthy is apparently letting players be themselves, giving them more “leeway” so far during camp. It’s hard to know the details around what Brown is speaking to, but if the players are happy with the new coaching philosophy, then the fans should be to.
Now we just hope that the change in culture will lead to more postseason success for the Dallas Cowboys in 2020 and beyond.
Overall, I just think McCarthy is a better coach than Garrett and the players are starting to see it. They need McCarthy to get to the next level, bc with Garrett ot wasn’t going to happen.
Lots of folks thinking so little of Brown. Yet he’s a 6th Round draft pick who is now the most tenured CB on the team. Don’t be surprised if he surprises y’all this year.
Agreed. I always thought he was misplayed in the slot. His measurables except for height say outside CB. And at 5’11”, even his height isn’t terrible for an outside CB. He ran a 4.33 40 but only had 4.19 in the short shuttle and 7.03 in the 3-cone. Those are terrible agility scores for a CB, but especially so for a slot CB: https://nflcombineresults.com/playerpage.php?f=Anthony&l=Brown&i=21931
… and Lewis just seems tailor-made for the slot, and a guy who if the slot receiver moves out wide, he can go with him and not have to “hand him off”. I think Brown and Awuzie start week-1 and both may cede time to Diggs until he outplays one of them.
Obviously Diggs has not yet learned the nuances of CB play in the NFL yet. But his overwhelming physical gifts and skill set should get him on the field sooner then later. That and neither Brown or Awuzie are world beaters.