No, Jason Garrett does not deserve an extension
I didn’t know before the start of today that anyone actually thought Jason Garrett should get an extension–then I read Hot Button.
Oct 5, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett on the sidelines prior to the game against the Houston Texans at AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys beat the Texans 20-17 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
It’s entirely possible that both writers were ordered to take opposite sides, and Todd Archer picked the short straw. After all, I can’t imagine someone as typically grounded as Archer would honestly believe this:
"Garrett entered 2014 knowing his future was on the line, because he does not have a contract for 2015. He didn’t complain about it or privately politick for an extension through media back channels. He simply trusted his … wait for it … process.I understand that all the Cowboys have done with their 4-1 start is guarantee they will finish at least 4-12, but these Cowboys are different. They are carrying out Garrett’s “fight” message. They are understanding the team concept. They are not bowing to the loss of players due to injury. They carry on."
Apparently, trusting the process and showing toughness is enough to secure a contract extension.
I disagree.
First, while this is the Cowboys’ best start under Garrett, the schedule has been fairly soft. They have only faced two teams with winning records, and they’ve split, losing to San Francisco and edging the Texans. They only play three teams with currently losing records for the rest of the season: Washington (twice) Jacksonville, and Chicago. They have successfully navigated the easy part of their schedule, but they haven’t won against any great teams. That will change this week, when they play Seattle.
Second, praising Garrett for not “complain[ing] about [having no contract extension] or privately politick[ing]” for one is completely insane. How is not badgering your boss for a promotion (not exactly the same, but the closest equivalent I could think of in a typical office setting) anything but a basic expectation? Who can honestly see a conversation like this happening?
Employee: “You know, about that promotion…”
Boss: “Sorry, the company is cutting back. The money just isn’t there for that right now.”
Employee: “Yeah, but I haven’t badgered you for a promotion or complained to coworkers about you behind your back. This is my fourth year on the job!”
Boss: “Damn, you’re right. The corner suite is right over there.”
Of course this scenario is completely asinine. I know of no enterprise in which doing the bare minimum is enough to justify keeping a senior executive (in the corporate analogy, that’s basically what Garrett is.) Apparently, the National Football League, which, due to its relatively small number of games, probably features the hardest working coaches in any major sport, will be the first to adopt this standard.
Third, the “‘fight’ message” is something that he’s tried many times before. (I consider “fight” and “toughness” synonymous.) For example, he pledged to “have poise and mental toughness” in the fourth quarters of the 2012 season. That happened in bits and spurts, but decidedly wasn’t a fundamental quality of the team. In 2013, he criticized the team’s lack of toughness in win-or-go-home games. That season, they lost to the Redskins partly because of a heartbreaking Tony Romo interception–in the waning moments of the fourth quarter. That the message is finally being delivered after two years of failure isn’t much of a justification for an extension. Who offers a promotion for getting a project done two years late?
And none of this addresses his past record. He is in danger of becoming the first coach in NFL history to go 8-8, the least practical record*, for four straight seasons. Until this season, until he capably handled four average or worse opponents, Garrett was unquestionably the most mediocre coach in the League. And that should be ignored based off of four games?
*8-8 is too good to get a decent draft pick but too bad to get a playoff spot in most years.
**Ironically, the Rams, somewhat like the Cowboys, usually had terrific offenses and horrid defenses in Linehan’s tenure.