Cowboys' Jerry Jones answers whether defensive coordinator could be team's future head coach
MOBILE, Ala. — Mike McCarthy will coach the Dallas Cowboys in 2022.
But Dallas’ defensive coordinator could also thrive in the team’s top role, Jerry Jones says. Does Jones consider Dan Quinn a potential future head coach for the Cowboys?
"He’s certainly qualified," Jones said Wednesday from the hallway behind his stadium suite overlooking Senior Bowl practices. "He’s very qualified. Yes, I would consider. If I didn’t have a coach, I would have been interviewing him for coach."
As owner and general manager, Jones calls the shots on the position. He was delighted by what he called a "major coup" to retain Quinn after Quinn interviewed for head coach vacancies in January but ultimately returned to the Cowboys. The Cowboys defense improved from 28th in points allowed to seventh this season, also leading the league in takeaways. The overperforming unit impressed Jones. But he wanted to keep Quinn in addition to, rather than in place of, McCarthy.
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"The facts are nobody worked harder to keep Dan here than Mike," Jones said. "That was the plan. That was the plan. Pure and simple. I’ve seen some people say, 'Well, what was the rationale behind that?' The rationale was that was a highly competitive way. I wanted them to be thinking that they were talking to a guy who could be head coach of the Cowboys.
"I wanted the aura to be friendly to Dan staying and turning down head coaching jobs. That’s my logic and I put my logic with anybody’s."
Jones’ logic became relatively winding when asked whether Quinn had a head coaching offer in hand this offseason.
"My answer is yes," Jones said, before following up, "I don’t know. Do you think a club checks with me?"
Jones did not name a specific team who gave Quinn an offer but said he believes it’s accurate to assert Quinn turned down a head coaching role based on the number of interview requests he received and the timeline during which Quinn committed to the Cowboys. Quinn interviewed with the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings. All but Minnesota have filled their roles. Quinn turned down a December interview with the Jacksonville Jaguars — he even helped Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore practice for a Jags interview — and committed to a Cowboys return even as five vacancies remain: Minnesota, Houston, New Orleans, Jacksonville and Miami.
"My conviction is sounder than most because he’s the most sought-after coach out there. Would we all agree on that?" Jones said. "My thought he could have been a head coach has a lot of credibility just from the smoking guns. I’d like to think that the opinion he could have been a head coach, everybody could say now. That doesn’t take much because he’s the most active one in being interviewed. The point is, he could have been a head coach. In my mind, there’s no doubt."
Jones said this is the third time he’s kept a coordinator from leaving. Former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett and Cowboys coordinator-turned-Saints coach Sean Payton were the first two, in his mind.
"I’ve now had three times, quite similar circumstances, when (a coach) did stay here," Jones said. "He stays here because there always has been, with every coach, every one of those three coaches, has said they’d love to be the head coach of the Cowboys. Every one. Every one.
"That has, in my mind, a lot of logic as to why they might not take a job now, (to) wait and see how the cards go in the future."
Jones said he does not believe discussing Quinn’s head coach potential warms McCarthy’s seat.
"Mike’s good in his skin," Jones said. "I’m good in his skin with where we are.
"Mike knows that someday, somebody other than him will be coach of the Cowboys."
Follow Jori Epstein on Twitter @JoriEpstein.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cowboys' Jerry Jones says Dan Quinn could be team's head coach
