NFL Predictions: Who Will Be the Next Dallas Cowboys Head Coach?
by Alan Matthews - 11/16/2010
One game certainly does not a career make, but the Dallas Cowboys were the biggest underdogs on the board this past weekend, according to NFL odds, and they went in and punked the New York Giants in their house on Sunday in the debut of Jason Garrett as the team’s interim head coach.
Obviously, Dallas owner Jerry Jones isn’t going to let one game make up his mind on whether to offer Garrett the full-time job, but it certainly didn’t hurt that Dallas looked very interested again under Garrett after basically quitting on Wade Phillips.
Sportsbook.com offers odds on who will be the Cowboys’ next head coach. So let’s take a look at each candidate along with some NFL predictions.
Jason Garrett (+120): Garrett, formerly the team’s offensive coordinator, should be the favorite because he’s already in place and it’s obviously always easier to get a job/promotion if you are already in house.
In a way Tony Romo’s broken collarbone, suffered when the Giants and Cowboys first met last month, gives Garrett a bit of a pass because clearly his offense isn’t the same without Romo in there. Garrett actually got the game ball from Jones after Sunday’s 33-20 over the previously red-hot G-Men. Dallas gained 427 yards against the NFL's top-ranked defense, so that goes right on Garrett’s resume.
Even if he wanted to, Jones can't commit to Garrett beyond this season because of league rules regarding the interview process. But it’s clearly his job to lose.
Jon Gruden (+250): Fox Sports reported through sources that the Cowboys may have already contacted Gruden to gauge his interest in coaching in Big D next season. Gruden has long said he’s happy working in the “Monday Night Football” booth and he’s quite well paid in his current gig.
It is thought that Jones wants to go with an offensive coach, which Gruden is. But then again, obviously so is Garrett, who would cost a lot less (not that Jones cares). Still, Gruden would seem to be able to have his pick of jobs most years and thus might not want to have to deal with the high-maintenance Jones.
John Fox (+350): Fox, of course, is currently employed as the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. However, it’s just a formality that he gets the boot after this season. Fox he does have a Super Bowl appearance, NFC title game appearance and two NFC South crowns under his belt and is still widely respected around the league despite Carolina’s lousy season.
But isn’t he really just another version of Phillips? (Fox is also a defensive guy). Hard to see Jones going here.
Bill Cowher (+400): Frankly, Fox’s fate might be tied to Cowher’s because many believe he is a lock to get the Panthers’ head coaching gig. Cowher lives in North Carolina and reportedly has been waiting for the ideal opportunity to return to coaching. Shoot, even his daughter goes to school at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., where the Panthers hold training camp.
Don’t expect Cowher to land in Dallas because he would want too much say in personnel and Jones isn’t about to cede that.
Marvin Lewis (+500): Don’t waste your money here. Think Jones would hire a Bengals cast off? Not a chance. Frankly I’m not sure what Lewis is doing with such short odds.
Jim Harbaugh (+800): Harbaugh likely will be coveted by several NFL teams and top college programs after what he has accomplished at Stanford. But he’s too much like Garrett and has never coached in the pros, so would Harbaugh really be an upgrade over Garrett?
Leslie Frazier (+1000): I would say this might be a good value bet, but I’d be willing to wager that Frazier takes over the Vikings full time when Brad Childress is fired sooner rather than later.
Bill Parcells (+1000): No chance Jones brings back Parcells.
Mike Zimmer: (+1500): The Bengals do have a good defense under Zimmer, the team’s coordinator, but this just isn’t a sexy enough hire for Jones. I could see Zimmer replacing Lewis.
Marty Schottenheimer (+1500): Jones could do worse than Schottenheimer, but Marty’s problem is that he can’t seem to win in the playoffs and that’s long been the Cowboys’ issue under Jones. Therefore it doesn’t seem like a good fit.
Tony Dungy (+2500): Dungy has already publicly said he isn’t interested in the job and he isn’t the type to lie.
Brian Billick (+2500): This is an interesting one because Jones has said that Super Bowl-winning coaches already have contacted him and Billick, of course, won one with the Ravens. Billick has been out of coaching since being fired by Baltimore after the 2007 season.
Reports are that he’s eager to get back on the sideline. And he does have a creative offensive mind. I think this is the best value on the board betting wise, but do think that Garrett eventually gets the job.
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