Jerry Jones Discusses His Talk With Deion Sanders About Cowboys Job And It Was Exactly What We Thought
At the beginning of his search for a new head coach, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did indeed call Deion Sanders. And they did indeed speak about the state of the Cowboys.
But to hear Jones describe it, it wasn't a job interview.
It was more a casual conversation that included a good bit of Texas hospitality sprinkled with a dab of business.
A Washington Commanders exec has been fired after making scathing remarks about Jerry Jones and the NFL. (Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)
Jones: ‘Deion Has A Job’
"Just a conversation about the team, and about where he is, and his boys, conversation with his boys, that type of conversation," Jones said during the Brian Schottenheimer introductory press conference on Tuesday.
"Again, I’ve said I’ve talked to a lot of coaches, and Deion has a job."
Deion has a job? Didn't Jones know this before he called?
The Cowboys didn't think of the Sanders call as any sort of interview, much less a formal one.
"I mean, all he's ever done in life is to be successful at what he does," Cowboys COO and co-owner Stephen Jones said. "Nothing but respect for him, [he and Jerry Jones] had a great visit. Some of these weren't all formal interviews."
Jerry Jones Speaks With Deion Sanders About Dallas Cowboys Coaching Vacancy
Deion Narrative A Ploy?
This whole Deion thing needs more details. More context. Otherwise, it sounds like something of a publicity stunt.
It sounds exactly like what multiple NFL executives told OutKick weeks ago they thought this exercise really was about: Jones introducing Sanders into his coach search conversation to make people forget he totally botched the timing for separating from Mike McCarthy.
The Cowboys apparently did a lot of informal talking during this hiring cycle.
They had an informal talk with Pete Carroll before he was hired by the Las Vegas Raiders.
They had an informal talk with former tight end Jason Witten. Talks about casting a wide net. Carroll has been in coaching for a generation and won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, while Witten has spent the past four seasons as the coach of Argyle Liberty Christian, a Texas state Division I prep champion.
SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE
Watch Super Bowl LIX on Tubi
No Details On Other Talks
Jones mysteriously didn't wish to provide details about those conversations beyond confirming they took place.
"I'll just leave it at that," he said.
So, taken all together, it sounds like Jones included a lot of intriguing names in his coach search. Those names were leaked to national media outlets at different times.
It all painted a picture that the Cowboys search was an exercise in thinking outside the box.
Then Jones hired in-house candidate Schottenheimer. And why?
Feels like a grand end around. We see you, Jerry Jones.