While the Dallas Cowboys have maintained that they won't fire Jason Garrett during this disappointing 2019 season, that mercy apparently won't extend into next year. According to a report yesterday, the Cowboys have no intention of bringing Garrett back unless the team has significant success in the playoffs.
Despite their current 6-7 record, Dallas remains in first place in the pathetic NFC East. If they can maintain control over the final three weeks of the regular season, the Cowboys will be hosting a playoff game in the first round of the tournament.
As reported by the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, just winning the division or even winning a single playoff game won't be enough anymore for Jerry Jones and the Dallas front office.
From @NFLGameDay: The #Cowboys are headed to a divorce with coach Jason Garrett, unless Garrett saves it by leading the team deep, deep into the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/q4QhfE0Ifr
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 8, 2019
“Deep” isn't an exact term. Dallas has been to the second round of the playoffs a three times under Garrett, so one would assume that we're talking about something greater.
Would getting the NFC Championship Game for the first time since 1995 be enough to save Jason's job? Or have we reached “Super Bowl or bust” now for the Cowboys head coach?
Of course, few have much faith at this point in the Cowboys have any postseason success. Even if they can fight off the Eagles and win the division, they seem destined to get bounced in the first round by whatever wild card team they end up playing.
But crazier things have happened, and the only reason Garrett is still around today is that the Jones family still see him as the team's best option for 2019. They'd rather go with the fantastic hope of a turnaround than the final nail in the coffin.
That said, if the report is accurate, then all of you who are worried about Jason Garrett returning just to be Jerry Jones' puppet or “yes man” should be happy. Barring the completely unexpected, the Dallas Cowboys will have a new head coach in 2020.
