There’s only one surprising tidbit in the revelation that Jerry Jones and Deion Sanders have had a discussion about the head coaching vacancy with the Cowboys.
How was Jones able to place the call before Sanders picked up his cell to initiate contact?
Sanders gets to remind officials at the University of Colorado that he’s a hot commodity while he prods for an extension. Jones redirects the conversation from his culpability in the Cowboys’ current condition while offering fans and candidates a reminder that this is a high-profile job coaches crave.
Jones, the Cowboys owner and chief content creator, has done it again. Ryan Reynolds didn’t generate this much initial buzz for Deadpool & Wolverine.
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But what happens in the coming days and weeks as the search unfolds and the idea of Jones and Sanders turns out to be more of a marriage of marketing convenience than a reality? Will the words of Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman, who pointed out Monday that the job can be high-profile without being coveted, prove to be right?
Related:Troy Aikman rips Cowboys after Mike McCarthy decision, doesn’t see Dallas as ‘coveted’ gig
The Cowboys will have no shortage of qualified candidates. There are enough veteran coaches searching for a fond farewell along with young, up-and-coming talents looking for their first big break to keep that pool stocked.
Back to Aikman’s point, there are other dynamics in play. One is the relative value Jones places on the position of head coach.
It was nearly 31 years ago in a hotel bar that Jones told reporters, “there are 500 coaches who could have won the Super Bowl with our team.‘’ A few days later the partnership between Jones and Jimmy Johnson came to an acrimonious end.
As he stood outside of the Cowboys locker room a few days ago after the loss to Washington to end the regular season, Jones was asked if he had a list of coaches ready if he moved on from Mike McCarthy. Jones again landed on that number, saying there would be “about 500 of them down there (Senior Bowl trip) that would love to be on the staff.‘’
Hyperbole? Sure. Jones rarely makes a point without one.
What you haven’t heard Jones say is there are 500 pass rushers who can do what Micah Parsons does or 500 quarterbacks who could start for the Cowboys.
Jones is willing to pay his top players big money because he believes they add rare value to the team’s potential success. He doesn’t hold coaches in the same regard. To him, their value is squeezed by the players on one side and by the management structure in place on the other.
Related:Deion Sanders, Cowboys coach? Even AT&T Stadium isn’t big enough for that many egos
Here’s another point. Past coaching hires have allowed Jones to sell hope to the fan base that a new voice, a new approach, will make a difference. That’s a tougher sell than ever.
Why? More than any other time, the ire of fans feels directly aimed at Jones. This past season was as much of a referendum on what Jerry and Stephen Jones didn’t do to build on a team that went 12-5 in three consecutive seasons as it was on the job done by McCarthy and his staff.
If you think that’s hyperbole, you weren’t at AT&T Stadium for the playoff game between UT and Ohio State. When Jones’ face flashed on the jumbotron as one of the celebrities in attendance, the crowd broke out in a comically loud boo.
The search for the 10th head coach in franchise history began with a call to Deion Sanders.
It will be interesting to see how it ends.
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