Top Candidates to Replace Jason Garrett as Head Coach of the Dallas Cowboys

This list is my list, no one else’s. Personally after seeing my Dallas Cowboys out and out quit during three straight games. I would have no option but to fire Jason Garrett. Personally I think Jerry Jones is too stubborn to fire Garrett even if they don’t win another game the rest of the season. He will continue to make excuses for everything he does. But just in case, just by some magical whim, Jerry Jones decides enough is enough and fires Jason Garrett, here is my list of the best available candidates for the Cowboys Head Coaching Job.

The Great White Wales – (The one from Moby Dick) - (Aka Coaches that would be epic hires, but are happy where they are, and not likely to want to take on the job)

1. Jon Gruden 

– Retired former NFL Head Coach, now in broadcasting. Gruden is a tough guy who works hard every day all day. Reminds me a lot of Jimmy Johnson is the way he approaches Coaching. He holds everyone accountable including himself. He is the kind of Coach who takes a team with a lot of talent to the next level. He was the Head at Oakland as the team was being built, then moved on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where he defeated his old team in the Super Bowl. His fiery disposition is exactly what this team needs.

2. John Harbaugh 

– Current Head Coach at Michigan, his Alma Matter. Former Head Coach of San Francisco 49ers, and Stanford Cardinals. His demeanor is similar to Gruden in that he is a fiery Coach who expects the best from his players, and isn’t afraid to tell them to their face. He took over a rundown Stanford team and turned them into contenders. He then moved on to San Francisco where he turned a bunch of losers there into within a touchdown pass of going to the Super Bowl. He knows Quarterbacking and how to groom them. He even made Collin Kaepernick look like a good QB for a while. He is also a former NFL Quarterback.

3. David Shaw

 – Current Head Coach of Stanford Cardinals. He learned under Harbaugh at Stanford, before he took over for him. Several NFL teams have tried to lure him from Stanford, but he has shown little to no interest in them. He is a no nonsense kind of Coach who teams play with great tenacity, and are always in the hunt for the Pac-12 title. Which is saying something if you think about the fact he can only recruit kids who’s GPA will allow them to get into Stanford.

The A Listers – (Aka the Coaches most teams with opening will be hot after)

1. Todd Haley

 – Current Offensive Coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Since becoming the OC the Steelers have gone from a team known for its defense to an offensive powerhouse. Former Head Coach of the Kansas City Chiefs, where he went 19-26 there. He actually made a playoff appearance with Matt Cassel as his QB. He also is the only Coach on this list with Dallas Cowboys ties when he was the Wide Receivers Coach and Passing Game Coordinator for Dallas from 2004-06 where he worked with Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Terrell Owens, and the late Terry Glenn.

2. Josh McDaniels

 – Current Offensive Coordinator of the defending Super Bowl Champs the New England Patriots. Yeah I know he has Tom Brady, how hard could his job be. Well that’s what you only see on the surface. Really he’s an offensive Guru who will be a Head Coach somewhere next season. This would be his second time as a Head Coach, as he was once one at Denver where he had an 11-17 record. He really didn’t get much of a chance to do his thing there before being fired in the middle of his second season. Bottom line is he’s a young Coach (41) who might have gotten his first Head Coaching job too early in his career.

3. Matt Patricia

 – Current Defensive Coordinator of the New England Patriots. He’s not as well known as McDaniels. Most people even fans of the Pat’s probably don’t know who he is. He’s been in Belichick’s shadow during his career there that starting in 2004. He’s coached both sides of the ball there, before becoming their DC in 2012. Nobody does more with not that much as he has defensively. He’s also young by coaching standards at 42 with room to grow. He does remind me a lot of his mentor Belichick, in his demeanor, and his dress.

4. Pat Shurmur

 – Current Offensive Coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings. Where he has proven that no matter who gets hurt he can still move the ball. Former Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns (2011-12), but no one should have not winning there held against them. He has also been the OC for the Eagles, and the Rams. Each place he has been the QB there has had a better season than the year before he was the Coach.

The B Listers – (Aka Good Candidates who could do well in the right situation)

1. Teryl Austin

 – Current Defensive Coordinator of the Detroit Lions. Has interviewed with like 10 or so teams over the years for the job. Mainly as a way for them to get passed the Rooney rule. Many say it was a mistake to pass him over as he has worked miracles with the Lions defense especially after free agency took away several of his best players. He seems like the kind of Coach who could flourish if ever given the chance to be a HC.

2. Frank Reich

 – Current Offensive Coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles. Previously OC for Chargers. The Eagles offensively have been awesome in both passing and rushing. Reich has coached up former 2^nd overall pick Carson Wentz into not only skipping the sophomore jinx season, but to become an MVP candidate. Reich is famous for being the backup to Jim Kelly in Buffalo where he engineered the greatest comeback at the time in NFL history when they came back from down 3-35 to the Houston Oilers to win 41-38. He also held the record for leading the greatest comeback in College football history when he was the QB at Maryland where when down 0-31 at the half to Jimmy Johnson’s #6 Miami Hurricanes Reich led a furious comeback an won 42-40. I think this is the kind of heart currently missing from the Dallas Cowboys. Plus what better than to steal from our rivals.

3. Russ Grimm

 – Current Offensive Line Coach Tennessee Titans. Was the Coach in waiting to take over for Bill Cowher in Pittsburgh before he was passed over for the job to a younger Mike Tomlin. He has is known for taking average offensive linemen and turning them into studs. He is also a former member of the famed ‘Hogs’ of the Redskins OLine back in the 80’s.

Others of Note –

1. Mike Shanahan

 – Former Head Coach for Oakland Raiders, Denver Broncos, and Washington Redskins. Might be too old, but he knows how to win, and taught his son how to coach offense.

2. Bill Cowher

 – Former Head Coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Is too old, but still seems sharp as a tack on TV and is a tough guy who might be what Dallas needs to kick them into gear. His teams played with grit and determination. Something the Cowboys are severely lacking.

3. Jim Bob Cooter

 – Current Offensive Coordinator of the Detroit Lions. Seriously I just like the name more than anything else. He’s only 33, very close friends with Peyton Manning and has been coaching up Matt Stafford. Not many teams can make the playoffs with no decent running back. Imagine what he could do with a team with a running back like Zeke. Plus just imagine how much fun we would all have yelling his name laced with profanities at the tv screen. 

Well that’s my list. It was hard, and I’m sure anyone reading this might have other candidates they would love to see as the new Head Coach at Dallas. Feel free to comment them, if you like. More than likely Cowboy's fans will have to suffer a few more years of Jason Garrett as long as Jerry Jones is alive. Well unless Tony Romo want's to be Head Coach.