WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO DALLAS STAFF?
Cowboys to evaluate staff after loss to Los Angeles
Jason Garrett thought for sure his coaching staff would return. But the Cowboys will evaluate the assistants, including offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.
FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett had two different answers Monday for whether oft-criticized offensive coordinator Scott Linehan would return next season.
The first was on his morning radio show, when Garrett responded, “I do,” when asked if he thought Linehan would be back for a sixth season with the Cowboys. The coach added he didn’t expect any significant changes to his staff.
At a news conference several hours later, Garrett wasn’t even close to definitive. He said discussions about the coaching staff hadn’t happened after spending most of his time in player interviews coming off the 30-22 divisional playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday.
In between, executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones said on his radio show that it was too early to speculate about the future of coaches or players.
While Garrett quieted chatter about his own future by rallying the Cowboys from a 3-5 start to a wild-card win and their third divisional trip in the past five seasons, he didn’t do much to show he was in sync with owner and general manager Jerry Jones or Jones’ son in his season-ending meeting with reporters.
“I don’t know how I answered that question this morning,” Garrett said. “Nothing has changed. I feel very good about what Scott Linehan did for us. We’ll have conversations about everybody as we go here the next few days. We’ll make a lot of decisions to put the staff together and put the team together as we go.”
Garrett said he considers all the decisions about the team — coaching staff or otherwise — to be collaborative. But he reiterated that Jerry Jones has the final say.
“I do believe our relationship is very collaborative,” Garrett said. “I have a tremendous amount of faith and trust in him and hopefully he has the same for me. We talk about all the decisions we make, any player, any coach, and we come to conclusions we both feel good about.”
Linehan was heavily criticized during Dallas’ sluggish start because a misfiring offense was largely to blame. There were questions about creativity, including from Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-analyst Troy Aikman, who won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys in the 1990s.
Dallas was much better offensively in the second half of the season, after sending its first-round pick in this year’s draft to Oakland for receiver Amari Cooper. But the Cowboys were one of just four teams to convert fewer than half their trips inside the 20-yard line into touchdowns.
When Dak Prescott and the Cowboys were struggling, there were also questions about inexperience with first-year quarterbacks coach Kellen Moore, who retired after being Prescott’s backup and went straight into the role of leading that group.
“If you look at the success he’s had, the number of games he’s won as a starting quarterback in the NFL over the course of his first three years, it’s a good environment,” Garrett said. “I think Scott and Kellen, those guys have a good understanding of what his strengths are and again some of the things he needs to work on.”
BRONCOS: Mike Munchak, who had been a finalist for Denver’s head coaching job, is making a lateral move from the Pittsburgh Steelers to serve as the Broncos’ new offensive line coach.
The Broncos have received permission to interview 49ers QBs coach Rich Scangarello for their offensive coordinator opening, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity Monday because the Broncos haven’t publicly commented on their offensive coordinator situation.
VIKINGS: The Minnesota Vikings have hired Gary Kubiak as an assistant head coach and offensive adviser, a big bump in experience for Mike Zimmer’s turned-over staff.
Kubiak spent the last two seasons as a senior personnel adviser with the Denver Broncos after stepping down as their head coach due to health concerns. Zimmer picked Kevin Stefanski to be his offensive coordinator, his first time in that role.
The Vikings also hired his son, Klint Kubiak, as quarterbacks coach and Brian Pariani as tight ends coach. Klint Kubiak was on Denver’s staff the last three seasons.
BROWNS: Head coach Freddie Kitchens said Monday he will continue to call plays as Browns coach despite hiring former Tampa Bay coordinator Todd Monken to oversee his offense next season.
Although he had little experience as a play-caller, Kitchens proved to be adept at reading defenses and designing plays during eight games as the team’s interim coordinator in 2018.
Along with Monken, Kitchens hired former Arizona coach Steve Wilks as his defensive coordinator. AFC CHAMPIONSHIP: Break out the parkas for Sunday night’s AFC title game at Arrowhead Stadium. The National Weather Service is projecting an arctic blast to settle over Kansas City for the Chiefs’ game against the New England Patriots. Temperatures at kickoff could range from 10 degrees to well below zero, potentially making it the coldest game in Arrowhead Stadium history.