Dallas Cowboys: Scott Linehan out; Should Jason Garrett be next?

With the termination of former Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, will head coach Jason Garrett be next? He should be.

As if there was ever any real doubt, this past week, the Dallas Cowboys finally relieved Scott Linehan of his offensive coordinator duties. Somehow, we’re to believe the decision was “mutual.” Regardless of how it went down, it was time to move on.

I’ve written several times in this column how much Linehan needed to go. Without shoveling more dirt on the pile, someone had to be held accountable for the oft inept and inconsistent offense. In this case it was Linehan. Should head coach Jason Garrett be shown the door as well?

For now it seems Garrett is safe and he shouldn’t be. Owner and general manager Jerry Jones missed the opportunity to clean house. The process of first replacing Linehan will not be easy.

Will it be fresh a face in the vein of current Rams head coach Sean McVay? A hotshot from the college ranks? A promotion from within? Or will it be a re-tread from the unemployed as in Todd Haley? A number of names have been bandied about with no rumored interviews.

Realistically, it’ll have to be from within the organization because the biggest obstacle will be Garrett. Here’s why. Garrett’s current contract situation would be enough to scare off any sensible candidate.

In any profession, people want job security. With Garrett having only one year left on his contract, the best offensive coordinator candidates would shy away from that situation, unless they had no other options.

If Garrett is not extended, wouldn’t the next head coach want his own guy? In theory, the next coordinator would be signing what could amount to be a one year contract if Garrett is let go.  That’s not a good situation for growth or sustained employment.

It’s much easier and wiser to replace both the head coach and offensive coordinator at the same time. As such, unless Garrett is extended first, I doubt a “name” candidate would gamble their future on a tenuous situation.

As for Garrett, he always been just “a guy.” He has never been seen as some wunderkind like Sean McVay or new Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Its easy to forget Garrett’s time as the offensive coordinator and later, playcaller during the early years as head coach.

There was plenty of criticism then about Jason Garrett’s plays and his calls. Not much has changed in the last nine years, except the years added to the last time Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl. If the Packers could fire Mike McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl and won the division six times, what makes Garrett so special?

Do you agree Garrett should be fired? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.