Is Ex Cowboys Coach Jason Garrett Interviewing To be Giants OC 'To Get Revenge'?
FRISCO - Along with the hiring of young Joe Judge to be their new head coach, New York Giants ownership has made no secret of its long-time affinity for Jason Garrett - and for Judge to assemble a staff of experienced assistants.
Combine all of that for Garrett's long-time affinity for New York, and you've got yourself a job interview, NFL Network first to report that the deposed Dallas Cowboys head coach Garrett is now interviewing for the offensive coordinator job with the Giants.
“It’s going to be critical that he builds the right staff, because again, he’s a first-year head coach,” co-owner John Mara said following last week's introductory news conference of Judge, who at 38 has never before been a head coach. “Having experienced people on both sides of the ball is going to be critical.”
And when the name of Garrett came up publicly?
“I certainly wouldn’t have any objection to that,” Mara said of the idea that Garrett might serve as Judge’s offensive coordinator. “I have a lot of respect for Jason.”
Garrett, 53, was hired as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator in 2007 and became the head coach in 2010. While he's now been replaced in Dallas by Mike McCarthy, he's considered a "Cowboy for Life'' due to his quarter-of-a-century relationship with this franchise. But he coached in New York with the Giants, played there with the Giants, attended Princeton there and the Garrett family home base is in New Jersey.
For a team that also needs mentorship for young QB Daniel Jones? It's a fit.
It's been suggested that the Giants "give Garrett an opportunity to coach against the Cowboys twice a year'' as if vengeance would be RedBall's motivation. That's an idea that can only come from somebody who doesn't know him. Garrett is about to make a gigantic and important career move - in football now or out of it for a time - and he's too rational about that to be motivated by silliness.
Judge reportedly interviewed Mike Shula for the OC job, and other names like Freddie Kitchens, Jay Gruden and Jim Caldwell have come up. Judge also has a connection with Chad O’Shea, a fellow Patriots product.
But Jason Garrett? Some thought he'd be the Giants' choice as their head coach. As far as ownership is considered, Garrett as the Giants OC would be a "get'' - and for Garrett himself, maybe a nice consolation prize.