Cowboys: Jerry Jones is publicly handling Garrett correctly

Jerry Jones may be publicly backing his Cowboys coaching staff but frankly he’d be foolish to say otherwise. Here’s why Jerry should continue to publicly back his staff…

By all indications Cowboys head coach, Jason Garrett, is not in jeopardy of losing his job. But looks may be deceiving and Jerry Jones may be disguising his real intentions.

The Dallas Cowboys began the season with the largest of expectations laid at their feet: Super Bowl or bust. You can argue it as much as you’d like but that’s the reality of the situation when you return a 13-3 team with a young and improving roster. Progress to the championship or be seen as a failure. Factor in this is the Dallas flippin’ Cowboys, and you have a bar above all other bars.

There’s motivational psychology to play in these situations and threatening careers after the prize is already lost makes for zero motivational sense.

To look at the team now and decree the Cowboys have fallen short, is a massive understatement. Not only did the Cowboys lose the division, but they’ve been eliminated from the playoffs altogether.

This is the kind of underachieving that puts coaches on the hot seat. This is the kind of ending that gets coaches fired.

To the dismay of many, Jason Garrett was not fired after the Christmas Eve loss to the Seahawks.

Owner Jones hasn’t indicated a leadership change is one the way, either. If you doubt that you need only listen to literally anything Jerry Jones has had to say about his Ivy League prodigy.

As reported by ProFootball Talk’s Charean Williams, Jones had this to say about Dallas’ very own “Red Jesus” and staff:

"“Just so we’re clear about it: I do understand frustration right after you lose a game that has such meaningfulness as this ball game,” Jones said. “But I get to look at a lot of different things and have been around a lot of head coaches and coordinators, so I feel good about our head coach.”"

This seems like a strange endorsement to make for such a colossally underachieving head coach, but such comments are not abnormal either. There’s motivational psychology to play in these situations and threatening careers after the prize is already lost makes for zero motivational sense. Here’s why:

Motivation

If you want to motivate, you do it while there’s a prize still to be won. If an owner and/or GM gives his staff an ultimatum, he does so before the season begins or at a critical juncture of the season. The Cowboys are not at either place right now. For all intents and purposes this season is lost. Saying “win or else” is pointless right now because nothing is tangibly gained by winning right now.

Development

The objective in a lost season is to develop talent to better position the team for success next season. This is achieved by playing inexperienced young players with promising futures. On the job training for these kids is highly effective and comes with mistakes.

If a coach is on the hot seat and effectively playing for his job, he’s inclined to stick with veteran players rather than develop youth. His priorities are on today – not tomorrow.

But if a coach feels confident in his future, he’s more likely to give those young players a chance. It will better develop them individually and better prepare the team to win in 2018.

Jerry is refusing to endorse.

Jerry Jones may be confident in the ability of his coaching staff but he’s not fully endorsing them either. Said Jones about offering an endorsement:

"“What I’m reluctant to do here is say an affirmative thing about our staff and look like that’s an endorsement. I don’t want to look like they’re getting the proverbial endorsement. That’s not what’s happening.”"

Jerry may walk the line on ethics here and there but he doesn’t like to boldface lie. In nearly everything he’s said, he’s given himself an out. He didn’t offer a guarantee for a reason. He also didn’t threaten for a reason.

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There’s some logic at play here because ultimatums at this point of the season can be considerably more damaging than they can be helpful.

While I’m pretty sure Jason Garrett will be back at the helm next season, I don’t think it’s as much of a sure thing as many think. Jerry is keeping his options somewhat open because even he isn’t sure what kind of makeover this team needs.

Cowboys Nation is upset, and rightfully so.

The Cowboys have fallen staggeringly short of all expectations this year. But expecting Jerry Jones to bring down the hammer now is misguided because it could do more damage than good.

Next: How Jerry Jones becomes the most powerful man in the NFL. Again.

Don’t underestimate what can be accomplished in this last week of the season. Jerry Jones needs Jason Garrett and staff to stay on task and work for a better tomorrow. That is something that cannot be accomplished by instilling fear.

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