The Dallas Cowboys are apparently comfortable employing a lame-duck head coach.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Cowboys are unlikely to extend Jason Garrett’s contract, per a source informed of the decision.
ESPN first reported the news.
Garrett has one year left on his contract, a time most organizations use to hammer out an extension to avoid a lame-duck season, According to Rapoport, however, the Cowboys appear set on Garrett proving it another season.
It’s not the first time Garrett has entered a season with one year remaining on his contract. After back-to-back-to-back 8-8 seasons in his first three years as the Cowboys‘ full-time coach, Garrett entered the 2014 campaign without an extension. The Cowboys proceeded to go 12-4 and win the NFC East.
The coach avoided the chopping block this season, winning seven of the team’s final eight games to swipe another division title. After a home playoff victory over Seattle, Dallas got dashed from the playoffs in a 30-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in the Divisional Round.
Unless owner Jerry Jones changes gears in the coming months, Garrett must double-down on this year’s run to keep his job in Dallas.
The Cowboys announced Thursday that Kellen Moore would take over offensive coordinator duties and former signal-caller Jon Kita would take over the QB coach position, as Dallas attempts to reimagine a stuffy offense.
Speaking on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Wednesday, Jones offered a pertinent view of his head coach.
"I think I’ve made clear how I feel about Jason in terms of where he is right now as far as our ability to help us win football games," Jones said, via ESPN. "I think if you look at what we’ve done over the last few years you’ll see a pretty good winning record there. (But) it’s not enough, not enough."
The Cowboys now want Garrett to win bigger before handing him a contract extension.