ARLINGTON — Jimmy Johnson’s Dallas Cowboys coaching staffs included names like Norv Turner, Butch Davis, Dave Campo and Dave Wannstedt.
Bill Parcells’ Cowboys coaching staffs included Sean Payton, Mike Zimmer, Tony Sparano and Todd Haley.
But is Jason Garrett’s current staff the best of the last 25 years?
Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones say they belong in the discussion.
“Jerry and I talk a lot about how this staff might be one of the best staffs we’ve ever had here, when you really look at it, including Jimmy’s staff,” Stephen Jones said Tuesday. “Scott [Linehan], Bill Callahan, Rod [Marinelli] and Derek Dooley, there’s a lot of guys that have been head coaches. Derek’s been in college, but he’s still been a head coach and has managed men, managed athletes and managed staffs. I just think it’s an overall strong staff.”
While Stephen Jones lauded the work done by Linehan and Marinelli during the team’s 7-3 start, his highest praise was directed toward offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who was demoted from offensive play-caller during the off-season.
“I’ll tell you what, he’s the ultimate pro,” Jones said. “I think he’s the very best at what he does. I think we’re very lucky to have him.”
In the process of moving Marinelli to defensive coordinator, the Cowboys also demoted Monte Kiffin to assistant head coach/defense.
What does it say about Garrett’s staff that you can demote two coordinators and still have a strong group?
“It says more about the people who were demoted,” Jerry Jones said. “Any time that you can step up and do the job Bill Callahan has done, and Monte Kiffin are doing, and basically make the adjustments we made in the off-season. Those are great coaches, they’re team players — and by the way, everybody on the team sees that and knows that. That says everything about them. They agreed, and more importantly they then stepped in and unabashedly went about building this team. That needs to be noted.”
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