Jason Garrett and Jerry Jones are still meeting 3 days after 'Black Monday,' as mystery looms over the future of the Dallas Cowboys
- Four days after the end of the Dallas Cowboys' season, Jason Garrett remains the head coach.
- Many in the NFL world assumed Garrett would be let go after missing the playoffs this season, but in recent days, he has continued to meet with Jerry Jones, with no word on what's next.
- There is now speculation that Garrett could remain in the organization in some other role.
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Four days after the Dallas Cowboys' disappointing 2019 season came to an end, it appears Jason Garrett is still the head coach.
That comes as a bit of a surprise, as things seem to be trending toward Garrett being let go as head coach after the Cowboys finished the season 8-8, going 5-8 over their last 13 games, and missed the playoffs. Garrett's contract expires on January 14.
The day after Week 17 is often known as "Black Monday" as teams fire head coaches and/or their staffs after disappointing seasons. It seemed Garrett would be among the coaches, as the Cowboys lost their season finale and team owner Jerry Jones wouldn't comment on Garrett's future after the game.
On Monday, Garrett met with Jones, as the NFL world awaited the outcome. Though Mike Leslie of WFAA in Dallas had reported on Monday that the entire coaching staff had been told they were fired, reports thereafter indicated there had been no decision.
Three days later, if Jones intends to part ways with Garrett, he is taking his time doing so. On Thursday, Jones and Garrett held a third meeting, with the discussions taking place unknown to the greater football world.
Jane Slater of NFL Network reported that nobody outside of Jones, Garrett, and executive vice president Stephen Jones seems to know the plan. Slater added that Garrett still hasn't had exit interviews with all of the Cowboys players.
ESPN's Ed Werder reported that there are whispers around the organization that Garrett could be retained in another role outside of the head coach.
Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio has twice floated the idea of Garrett remaining in a coaching role in some capacity and working with another head coach.
To some, a coaching change is overdue. Garrett has posted an 85-67 record in 10 years as the Cowboys coach, but the team has only made the playoffs three times. Expectations were high this year, with a roster full of talent on both sides of the ball. The Cowboys were alive in the playoff hunt until the very end, but lost a key game to an injury-depleted Philadelphia Eagles team in Week 16.
While Jones may be taking his time sorting through what's next, the schedule is somewhat pressing. Top head-coaching candidates are getting interviews now - Mike McCarthy interviewed with the Cleveland Browns on Thursday, New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will reportedly hold interviews on January 10.
Perhaps the Cowboys will still move on from Garrett, and some will wonder what the wait was for. As the days pass and the meetings continue, it seems as if Garrett will convince the team to keep him on board, even if it's in another role.
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