The Dallas Cowboys find themselves in an unenviable position as the NFL playoffs reach a crescendo. While bitter NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders prepare for a momentous conference championship clash, the Cowboys are mired in a head coaching search that seems to have no end in sight. As the football world turns its attention to the penultimate weekend of the season, the Cowboys are left to watch from the sidelines, pondering an uncertain future.
A Divisional Dilemma
For Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, this past weekend had to sting. His team’s offseason began weeks ago following a disappointing 7-10 campaign. Meanwhile, the Eagles and Commanders, squads the Cowboys aspire to overtake, are on the precipice of Super Bowl glory. The Commanders’ victory over the Lions was especially galling considering the plethora of ex-Cowboys on their roster and coaching staff, led by head coach Dan Quinn.
Quinn’s success in turning around the Commanders in short order has to give Jones pause. The defensive mastermind nearly landed the Cowboys job a year ago and was one of the league’s highest-paid coordinators in Dallas. Now he has Washington in the NFC title game for the first time since 1991. The Eagles are also on the cusp of their third Super Bowl appearance in the last six seasons, a model of roster-building and salary cap navigation the Cowboys can only envy.
Casting A Wide Net
As the playoffs roll on without them, the Cowboys have begun their latest quest for the right head coach to lead them back to the promised land. Jones and the front office have already interviewed two in-house candidates: offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who has a strong relationship with quarterback Dak Prescott, and defensive passing game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.
Outside options are also on the table. Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh impressed in his four-hour sitdown with the Cowboys brain trust. He has head coaching experience and could be a stabilizing presence. The team has also lined up an interview with Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier, although his previous tenure as Vikings head coach was underwhelming. Former Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury, a favorite of Jones, could also be in the mix once Arizona’s season concludes.
The Pressure is On
Whoever ends up landing the Cowboys job will be under immense pressure to deliver immediately. The team’s championship game drought, now at 29 seasons, is the longest in the NFC. Only the Browns and Dolphins have waited longer in the AFC. As the Eagles and Commanders vie for conference supremacy, that fact looms larger than ever.
What would Cowboys fans give for a Super Bowl appearance right now?
– Longtime NFL reporter pondering Dallas’ title drought
Jones will once again bank on his chosen coach being the one to guide the Cowboys back to the NFL’s zenith. History hasn’t been kind to Jones’ last six coaching hires, but as a new era dawns in Dallas, optimism springs eternal. Still, as the team’s rivals bask in playoff glory, the urgency for the Cowboys to get this decision right has never been higher. Another lost season in football’s most star-kissed franchise is simply unthinkable.
The Cowboys’ winding road back to the Super Bowl begins with selecting the right driver for the journey. As the playoffs put a harsh spotlight on the renewed competitiveness of the NFC East, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys find themselves under an intense microscope. Will this be the hire that finally returns America’s Team to former glory? Or will the wait and the comparisons to their rivals only grow more excruciating? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – the clock is ticking in Dallas.
