Maybe we had this all wrong. Maybe it isn’t Sean Payton or Kellen Moore who is the head-coach-in- waiting for the Cowboys but Dan Quinn.
Owner Jerry Jones announced Friday that the Cowboys have signed their defensive coordinator to a multi-year extension. Quinn interviewed with five teams and had second interviews with the Bears, Giants and Broncos.
Jones was under the belief that one of those teams offered Quinn a head coaching opportunity.
“I believe that very much,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via Jori Epstein of USA Today. “I know this: He is staying and being our coordinator for years to come. So I know he was the busiest coordinator out here being interviewed for jobs, and yes I’d say that specifically. It’s a real compliment to Mike (McCarthy), a compliment to us and a compliment to the organization.”
Maybe a team did offer Quinn. Maybe none did. The only thing that matters is Jones was convinced someone did.
Payton turned down a chance to coach the Raiders in 2004 before leaving the Cowboys for the Saints in 2006, a year before Bill Parcells retired. Jason Garrett turned down the Ravens and Falcons in 2007 and became the Cowboys interim head coach in 2010. The Cowboys took off the interim tag in 2011 after “satisfying” the Rooney Rule -- if by the letter of the rule at the time, if not in spirit -- by interivewing in-house receivers coach Ray Sherman.
“I’d experienced seeing coaches turn down a head job for our situation so I really was trying hard meeting with Dan Quinn,” Jones said. “This is the thing I want to clear up: Mike was very involved in this process and very involved in trying to give us every chance to keep Dan Quinn. There’s no question it was a competitive situation and I couldn’t really get out and speak publicly because I didn’t want to push teams toward him.
“I wanted to keep (Quinn) for ourselves, and that’s what ended up happening.”
With Quinn still on staff and Payton sitting out the 2022 season, no coach will go into next season on a hotter hot seat than McCarthy. As soon as Payton announced this week he was stepping away from the Saints, speculation immediately turned to his future return to the sideline with the Cowboys.
Payton nearly became the Cowboys coach in 2019, with an agreement in place between the Cowboys and Saints that fell apart at the 11th hour.
But Quinn, who led the Falcons to the Super Bowl, would cost the Cowboys less than Payton would. They would have to give up draft pick compensation to the Saints to get Payton, who also might cost them more finanically.
Jones could seek a guarantee in Quinn’s contract that Quinn will be the team’s next head coach. If the NFL and Fritz Pollard Alliance approved the clause, the Cowboys would not have to comply with the Rooney Rule once they decided to move on from McCarthy.
Three times the past 13 years teams have utilized the clause. In 2009, Jim Caldwell succeeded Colts coach Tony Dungy and Jim Mora succeeded Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren pursuant to a prior agreement. In 2018, Eric DeCosta became G.M. of the Ravens under a pre-existing agreement to become the successor to Ozzie Newsome.
Whether Jones does it in writing or with a wink-wink, nod-nod agreement with Quinn or not at all, it is obvious what Jones thinks of Quinn. He put his money where his faith is. And to keep Quinn in 2023, it might require something other than money.
