Jerry Jones Names Cowboys Great Who Could Make a Good NFL Head Coach Someday

It's a face from Dallas's fairly recent past.

Jerry Jones before the Cowboys' 20–17 win over the Steelers on Oct. 6, 2024. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

It's Nov. 15, and the Dallas Cowboys are 3-6. Rumors are swirling around the potential fate of coach Mike McCarthy, and fans and observers are having fun speculating over potential replacements.

Into this powder keg came Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Friday morning with a definitive answer as to whether ex-Dallas tight end Jason Witten could coach in the NFL one day.

"Yes. Without hesitation. Yes. He has something that you can't draw up," Jones told KRLD-FM in Dallas via Jon Machota of The Athletic. "He reminds me a lot of our other tight end who is head coach up there in Detroit right now (Dan Campbell)."

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones when asked on @1053thefan if he thinks former Cowboys TE Jason Witten could one day be an NFL coach: "Yes. Without hesitation. Yes. He has something that you can't draw up. He reminds me a lot of our other tight end who is head coach up there in Detroit…

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) November 15, 2024

Campbell played three years for the Cowboys, from 2003 to '05. His career overlapped with the start of Witten's; Witten wound up spending 16 years with Dallas, making 11 Pro Bowls and two consensus All-Pro teams.

Witten, who retired after the 2020 season, currently coaches Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas.

"Jason is very sophisticated when it comes to understanding football and all the nuances. But more important than anything, he really does understand the physical and the mentality of being physical and that part of it. Without a question, he could become (an NFL coach). He has extraordinary work ethic," Jones said. "He can be a top coach."

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