Garrett Gone: Cowboys Part Ways With Long-Time Head Coach

After Multiple Meetings With the Jones Family, It's Pretty Much Official: Jason Garrett is Gone as the Dallas Cowboys Part Ways With Their Long-Time Head Coach

FRISCO - Jason Garrett's "Cowboy for Life'' relationship with the Dallas Cowboys might go on forever. But his time as the head coach of "America's Team'' is, as of Sunday night, over.

Breaking News from @JayGlazer:

The Cowboys have officially informed Jason Garrett he is out as head coach. pic.twitter.com/DRJiTuNHoB

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) January 5, 2020

“The overarching explanation is we weren’t consistent enough,” Garrett told us Monday on 105.3 The Fan, in an answer to a question about 8-8 Dallas failing to qualify for the NFL Playoffs - but also an answer that explains why the Jones family is not bringing him back. “We weren’t consistent enough throughout the year from game to game. We weren’t consistent enough within games. We didn’t do the things that winning football teams do.''

Garrett met with Jerry and Stephen Jones just before 4 p.m. on Monday, and told us that in that session it was his intent to express his desire to keep his job.

"Absolutely,'' he told Shan Shariff and yours truly in an exclusive Monday morning visit on 105.3 The Fan. “We’ll have a good visit and see what’s next.”

But throughout that day, and then again Tuesday, what truly occupied Garrett was a series of emotional goodbyes, in the form of "exit interviews'' with players and in the form of handshakes and hugs with staffers and employers with whom he's worked alongside for a decade as a head coach and for a quarter of a century as a player, assistant and friend.

A second meeting with the Joneses, which commenced at noon on Tuesday, was supposed to have ended "The Long Goodbye,'' supposed to have launched the Cowboys into a search for their next head coach and freeing Garrett to find employment with the likes of the Giants, Browns, Panthers and elsewhere. But there were more planned meetings before finality (per Jay Glazer of FOX Sports) finally arrived.

"I make changes, and I certainly can see myself making a lot of changes in a lot of areas,'' Jones said on Sunday night. "Just the times call for that. I am about change. I change a lot.”

One possible change: Jerry's recognition that at 77, he should be the GM rubber-stamper of a decision that be on the shoulders of son Stephen (and top aide Will McClay). ... because ultimately, the new head coach will, down the line, must be able to mesh with the next generation of leadership at The Star.

Garrett's contract technically expires on Jan. 14, but the Cowboys have already started the hiring process. While it is certainly conceivable that the Joneses have already locked onto their guy(s), something that might explain their dilly-dallying ... Big names and not so big. NFL guys and college guys. Guys who've been out of football for a time. Lots of concepts should be in play here for an organization that also has decisions to make with Garrett's 2019 staff. Of the 25 assistants, 18 are free agents. In talking to a handful of them during New Year's week, some - under contract or not - are at work at The Star. Others are at home, spending holiday time with family, waiting for updates from ownership.

And some, of course, have seen the writing on the wall and are pursuing new jobs. That list includes defensive aide Kris Richard, who is reportedly to interview for the Giants' head-coaching vacancy. There is speculation that defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli (no longer under contract) might retire. A source says special-teams coordinator Keith O'Quinn could be shifted to the scouting department.

Garrett, 85-67 as the Cowboys coach but with only two playoff wins in the 10 years, departs Dallas with a bond with the Joneses, no doubt.

“I have all the respect in the world for him,'' Jerry said at season's end - and while that respect meant lots of meetings, it wasn't enough for a "Cowboy for Life'r'' to keep living at The Star.