Colorado Head Coach Deion Sanders - Lucas Peltier/AP Photo
As soon as Mike McCarthy received the heave-ho from Jerry Jones, it wasn’t long before the Cowboys’ owner was on the phone with Deion Sanders.
Interestingly, the Cowboys’ first response was to contact Mr. Prime Time himself. Could they have been in talks with him the whole time while in talks with McCarthy?
Let’s take a look at how Sanders would fit in with the Cowboys and what other coaches could be available to lead the team.
What the Cowboys are looking for in a Head Coach
In his previous hires for head coach, Jones has gone in two directions. The primary one is looking for an experienced leader with a proven track record of winning.
The second direction is to go with someone he already knows and has previous connections to the Cowboys organization.
Head Coach Choices
The Detroit Lions have two qualified coordinators who are on Jones’ list to be Dallas’ next head coach.
Lions (OC) Ben Johnson would be the flashy up-and-coming hire who could create an offense tailored to Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb’s strengths.
However, he doesn’t check off the boxes of being an experienced head coach or having previous connections to Jones and the Cowboys organization.
On the other hand, you have Lions (DC) Aaron Glenn. While Glenn doesn’t have the sizzle factor of Johnson, he does check one box off for Jones and the Boys.
No, he isn’t a proven head coach, but he did play for Jones and the Cowboys from 2005 to 2006.
Another candidate is the Washington Commanders’ (DC) Joe Witt Jr.
While he doesn’t have head coaching experience, he started as a defensive backs coach with the Cowboys under Dan Quinn when he was the (DC) from 2021-2023.
Other candidates Jones may consider have a mixture of experience and previous connections to Dallas. Former LA Chargers (HC) Anthony Lynn was on the sidelines from 2017 to 2020.
Now, he’s the running game coordinator for the Washington Commanders. Before coaching, he also played for the Boys for two seasons.
The one candidate who would fit the bill for Jones is Philadelphia Eagles (OC) Kellen Moore.
Moore has previous connections with the Cowboys both as a quarterback and as an offensive coordinator under McCarthy.
Offensive pass game coordinator/assistant to head coach Dan Quinn of the Washington Commanders Brian Johnson checks the box of having former ties with Cowboys (QB) Dak Prescott.
The two were paired together as coach-quarterback at Mississippi State.
As for Mr. Sanders, he played five seasons for the Cowboys. The Colorado Buffaloes head coach has stayed tight with Jones 25 years after he played.
What Type of Culture Does Jones Want This Time Around?
Jones is looking for a coach who will look to build a culture with the team they currently have now.
This is true, especially for some of their stars, such as Prescott, Lamb, and, of course, Micah Parsons.
The Boys already signed Prescott and Lamb to long-term deals. They are looking to be 100% next season and ready to go.
Parsons is still on a fifth-year option, but Jones seeks to prioritize a long-term deal for him this offseason.
“We’ve got some commitments that we have in place that are real cornerstones that we’ve got to consider,” Jones told reporters Jan. 5 after the Cowboys’ season finale. “So that’s a big consideration: how to maximize where we’ve really made commitments [that] we like the status of. I wouldn’t put a coach in here who didn’t agree with some of the commitments we’ve made and some of the directions we’re going in personnel.
“You want to build everything to (maximize) that advantage, not undermine it.”
Jones is 100% right. Just because candidate “A” might be the best doesn’t mean they will support the front office’s plans going forward.
Also, having previous connections to the team you coach for is a plus for continuity.
Can Sanders be the Cowboys’ Next Head Coach?
Coach Prime checks multiple boxes to be the Cowboys’ next Head Coach. He is an experienced college coach turning around a Jackson State and Colorado Buffaloes program.
He was (4-3) during the 2020 Covid season before going (11-2) in 2021 with Jackson State. They went on to win a SWAC Title and a Celebration Bowl game appearance.
In addition, in 2022, he was (12-1) and made a second straight Celebration Bowl game appearance.
He already has connections to the Boys as a player and has been loyal to the organization as a fan for 25 years.
Then, in just two seasons with Boulter, he led the team to (4-8), (9-4), and the Alamo Bowl.
Therefore, he already knows Jones’ personality and philosophy on how to build “America’s Team back into a winner.”
Nevertheless, he doesn’t have NFL head coaching experience, but someone has to give him his first start.
It might as well be the owner, general manager, and President of the Dallas Cowboys.
