Jerry Jones (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
NFL fans are losing their minds after Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones dropped a bizarre hint on who their next head coach may be.
It’s widely believed (but you never know in Jerry Jones’ world) that the Cowboys will move on from head coach Mike McCarthy after the season. McCarthy’s five-year deal expires after the campaign, so Jones can make this a smooth and clean exit if he wishes.
You’ve probably seen the rumors about Jones potentially targeting Bill Belichick or Colorado Buffaloes HC Deion Sanders as McCarthy’s replacement. But some fans are now convinced that Jones may end up hiring an all-time Cowboys great, former Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten.
The 42-year-old Witten is currently the head football coach at Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas. Jones was interviewed on the 105.3 The Fan program in Dallas, where he endorsed the idea of Witten becoming an NFL head coach one day:
“Jason is very sophisticated when it comes to understanding football and all the nuances. But more important than anything, he really does understand the physical and the mentality of being physical and that part of it. Without a question, he could become (an NFL coach). He has extraordinary work ethic…He can be a top coach.”
Naturally, fans are now speculating that Jerry Jones will hire his former star tight end to replace McCarthy at head coach:
Jerry Jones’ history of hiring NFL head coaches has been mixed, to say the least. He aced the Jimmy Johnson hire when he took over as team owner in 1989, only to kick the Hall of Famer to the curb after winning back-to-back Super Bowls.
Yes, the Cowboys won another Super Bowl with Barry Switzer in the 1996 season. But that team was built by Johnson. The Bill Parcells and Wade Phillps hired netted zero playoff success. Jason Garrett had two playoff wins in 10 years. McCarthy has a single playoff win in five years.
So decide for yourself if Jones is capable of hiring the right head coach who can turn this team around after a miserable 2024 season.
Jerry Jones Has To Get The Next HC Hire Right
Jones has a roster in win-now mode, with the likes of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Zack Martin, Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs under contract. His best bet is to hire an experienced head coach like Belichick to enhance the talent of this roster, but history tells us Jerry will only hire a coach that he likes on a personal level.
