With Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett finishing the final season of his contract, there are questions about his future with the franchise. Some fans want him gone while others would like to see an extension. However, this question could have never surfaced had owner Jerry Jones hired Bill Belichick, which was an actual possibility.
According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, there was a moment at ski lodge back in the mid-90s where Belichick and Jones ran into each other. The future head coach of the New England Patriots had just been fired by the Cleveland Browns and was looking for his next opportunity. He told Jones to keep him in mind if there was even an opportunity for him with the Cowboys.
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This pairing never happened as Belichick landed with the Patriots in 2000 while the Cowboys went through a list of names that includes Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips and Garrett. The Cowboys haven’t had as much consistency at the position since this meeting occurred, and Jones revealed that he often thinks about it from time to time.
“I’ve thought about that many times,” Jones said. “You never know where you can find a great coach. You can find them in a ski checkout line sometimes.”
While the immediate reaction to this news from Cowboys fans was frustration about missing out a multitude of Super Bowl victories and appearances, there were others that wanted to pump the proverbial brakes.
There is no denying that Belichick has been the best coach in the NFL throughout his tenure with the Patriots, but would he have the same level of success in Dallas? There are certainly some fans of America’s Team that don’t believe so.
In New England, Belichick is the man that makes the decisions. He conducts trades, selects players in the NFL Draft, and essentially runs the show. In Dallas, however, Jones is heavily involved in all decisions. He helps select players and is a key part of contract negotiations and free-agent acquisitions. Would he and Belichick have been able to work together as a team, or would their personalities clash in an explosive manner?
Obviously, the answer will never be known, but Jones has certainly thought about the potential pairing many times over the past 20-plus years. If he has to find another head coach following the 2019 season, he will inevitably think about this meeting at the ski lodge once again.
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