Jerry Jones Definitely Took Pressure Off Himself By Talking To Deion Sanders

The blaring headlines and hyperventilating television reports about Jerry Jones calling Deion Sanders about the Dallas Cowboys coaching job have passed into memory without much more happening.

The sides have not set up an interview, as the NFL Network reported Saturday, and no concrete discussions to get that done have happened yet, a source told OutKick. 

Kellen Moore Is Name To Watch

So Sanders suddenly is not on the front burner anymore.

The Cowboys have instead interviewed current Eagles offensive coordinator and former Dallas offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.

The club on Saturday also announced it just completed an interview with former Jets coach Robert Saleh, who was fired in October. And multiple reports say the club also intends to interview Seattle Seahawks assistant head coach Leslie Frazier.

And here's an educated guess where all this will eventually go: 

Moore is the next coach of the Cowboys, ladies and gentlemen. Assuming he didn't totally bomb during his interview, Jones covets him and sees him as a Cowboys coach, sources have told OutKick.

Kellen Moore could be the next coach of the Dallas Cowboys. (Credit: Getty Images)

The Kellen Moore Attraction

Moore is attractive to Jones in multiple ways, including familiarity, expense, and the young coach's willingness to accept a power structure that Jones is comfortable and accustomed to. Moore was the Dallas offensive coordinator from 2019-2022.

And the Cowboys' offense was second, fifth and sixth in points scored in that time. 

Kellen Moore is the leading candidate if not future hire at this stage.

So, what happened to Sanders?

BOULDER, Colo. - Colorado head coach Deion Sanders during the college football game between the Oklahoma State University Cowboys and the University of Colorado Buffaloes on November 29, 2024 at Folsom Field. (Photo by Kevin Langley/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Jerry Jones Changes The Subject

He might continue to figure in the process at some point. But he has already served Jones in a big way and multiple NFL executives literally laughed at the whole scenario when speaking to OutKick about it:

In short, multiple NFL executives believe Jones introduced Sanders into the equation to at least change the subject.

And what was the subject? That he totally botched the timing for separating from Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy, you'll recall, was allowed to go his merry way while the Cowboys went their way on Jan. 13. And what followed was criticism of how Jones handled the situation because McCarthy had been the Cowboys' coach for five years.

And while other teams dispatched coaches they no longer wanted in a matter of hours after the season, Jones took days and days to divorce himself from McCarthy, despite his long history with the coach. It was as if Jones was unsure about a coach he knows well.

Former Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy. (Getty Images)

Dragging Feet On McCarthy Hurt

That came at a cost because the club missed the first window for interviewing coaches from playoff teams with a first-round playoff bye.

That means the Cowboys didn't interview any Detroit Lions or Kansas City Chiefs coaches such as Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson or Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, while other teams looking for a new coach did exactly that. The Cowboys were behind their competitors for reasons that fell at the feet of Jones.

But the criticism for that unforced error was quickly muted by the news Jones picked up the phone and called Sanders about the Cowboys job.

The Cowboys delaying and hurting themselves narrative was swamped by the Sanders excitement. Jones successfully changed the subject and multiple NFL executives around the league have noticed.