Don’t fret Detroit Lion fans. If you find yourselves crestfallen over the disappointment of this promising season's familiar ending or the past half century of Lions football, Jerry Jones has a franchise for you. Keep reading if you want to hear more. Six years ago, your franchise interviewed a young, up and coming offensive coordinator to be its head coach. Jones countered by paying him a salary that equaled head coach Wade Phillips’ and promoted him two years later to head coach.
On Tuesday, the Cowboys hired former Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan to become the offensive play-caller and passing game coordinator. If you watched the Lions air it out during the Jim Schwarts era, you'll know that's not good news for DeMarco Murray. Bill Callahan will be relocated to running game coordinator. Garrett still has the headset and Romo retains his veto ability.
The Cowboys also announced that they stripped Monte Kiffin of his defensive coordinator duties to promote defensive line coach Rod Marinelli into the role. Before being tasked with instructing the defensive line, Marinelli was head coach of the 0-16 Detroit Lions.
Rather than cut dead weight, Jones is keeping up appearances and rearranging the staff. The collective salaries for the Cowboys coaching staff is approaching their roster’s salary cap threshold. Maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, but it feels that way. Maybe.
Excess is Jones’ downfall. Jerry's World is a spectacle of a mega-stadium that has eliminated its typical home-field advantage. The coaching staff is becoming increasingly cluttered in an attempt to compensate for the shortcomings of Jason Garrett. For some inexplicable reason, Jones has taken a liking to the Garrett family and won't make the obvious decision by canning him.
He previously employed two of Garrett’s brothers and his father was a Cowboys scout for 17 years. Jason’s older brother Judd is the current Director of Pro Scouting. He’s obviously close with the family and doesn’t seem keen to risk straining that relationship or admitting he was wrong to hire Garrett. Instead, they'll plod along during his awkward, lame duck season.
They have enough bodies on the sidelines now to stage their own Million Man March. The billion dollar playpen’s billion dollar coaching staff is only the least of Jones’ concerns. Jones has an aversion to making tough decisions and cutting ties with football personnel he’s responsible for hiring. As a result, the Cowboys will be $30 million over the cap entering the season.
Jones needs to have several seats in the owner’s box and steer clear of front office decisions. Until he does, this franchise will continue resembling the Detroit Lions.
