Jerry Jones' Plan All Along Was to Give Jason Garrett a 'Soft Landing' and it Somehow Worked
By Michael Luciano
The Dallas Cowboys finally pulled the plug on the Jason Garrett project at long last, with Jerry Jones cut ties with the longtime head coach (and former Cowboys quarterback besides) in order to bring former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy into the fold.
Jones took an oddly long time to fire Garrett, and he chalked that up to the fact that he wanted to give him a "soft landing." It's not like Garrett has another job lined up or anything, but ol' Jerry's decision to drag out the process of his exit still worked -- he still got his guy despite all the heel-dragging.
Jerry Jones wanted "soft landing" for Jason Garrett https://t.co/1ifPwlDfY8
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) January 9, 2020
It's worth noting that the big boss didn't give Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, or Bill Parcells a "soft landing." He surely has real regard for Garrett, whom he let Garrett go after an 88-70 record since 2011, a span that only included two playoff wins.
The #Giants have requested permission to speak with former #Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, sources tell me and @MikeGarafolo. He’s still under contract in Dallas until Jan. 14, so permission is required.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 7, 2020
Garrett did guide the Cowboys to just one losing season during his tenure, the nightmare 2015 campaign in which everyone and their grandmother got hurt. If Jones wanted to let Garrett go in a way more comforting and respectful than giving him a pink slip and allowing him a day to clean out his office, then he succeeded.