Cowboys News: 10 plays that defined 2021; Jerry Jones speaks on Payton, McCarthy, Quinn
The Cowboys’ outspoken owner did plenty of speaking out on Friday. During an impromptu phoner with a Dallas radio station, Jones gave a behind-the-scenes account of Dan Quinn’s decision to remain in Dallas as defensive coordinator and shared Mike McCarthy’s surprising role in it. He also touched on his hopes for Kellen Moore’s next step and maintained that he has had no contact with ex-Saints coach Sean Payton. But in typical Jerry fashion, his answers simply produced a whole new slew of questions.
Elsewhere, distilling the 2021 Cowboys down to ten plays that determined the course of the season, a look at who might have had a better comeback than Dak Prescott, and a possible closing chapter for one Cowboys icon. We’re cracking the code on Tony Romo’s TV personality, looking back at the Dallas passers who have won multiple titles, and saluting Micah Parsons as he honors an American hero. Dan Quinn takes home some hardware, but did he overplay his hand in deciding to stay put? All that, plus free agent priorities and a bittersweet anniversary for Cowboys fans and the waiting game they’ve been playing ever since. That’s on tap in the News and Notes.
Breaking down the 10 plays that shaped the Cowboys’ 2021 season :: Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys could have just as easily gone 14-3. Or 9-8. From Dak Prescott’s strained calf in overtime against New England… to the Arizona fumble that Dallas couldn’t challenge, the 47-yard run where Ezekiel Elliott tore his PCL versus Carolina… to Greg Zuerlein’s missed chip shot in Week 1, the blocked punt that gave the ball back to Denver… to that fateful final play in the wild card round, the entire Cowboys season can be boiled down to just ten plays.
Cowboys' defensive coordinator Dan Quinn named Assistant Coach of the Year :: Cowboys Wire
Quinn has been the hottest assistant coach in the league this season. Now the Pro Football Writers of America have named him the best assistant coach in the league this season. The news came one day after Quinn reportedly informed teams that he’d be staying on in that role for Dallas in 2022.
Dallas Cowboys’ Dan Quinn made a Jason Garrett mistake without being Jason Garrett :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Quinn reportedly turned down a head coaching position to remain a Cowboys coordinator, just like Garrett once did. Garrett was eventually rewarded with a promotion to Cowboys head coach. But as Mac Engel points out, Jones does not have the same loyalty to Quinn as he did to Garrett. Quinn’s time with the team, he writes, has more of a Mike Zimmer feel.
Jerry Jones says lack of vocal McCarthy support was about Dan Quinn, not Sean Payton :: Cowboys Wire
The outspoken owner seemed to claim that going radio silent about his head coach’s job status wasn’t him being wishy-washy; it was part of a master plan to keep defensive coordinator Dan Quinn on the Cowboys staff. “The idea of Mike twisting in the wind just wasn’t the case at all,” Jones said in a bizarre interview on 105.3 The Fan. Jones confirmed Quinn is staying and will be the Dallas DC “for years to come.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: 'I haven't talked to' Sean Payton since Saints departure :: Yardbarker
Jones and Payton are longtime friends, but the Cowboys owner maintains he hasn’t spoken with the ex-coach since he announced his departure from the Saints. “I’m not part of any dialogue or any decision-making relative to him leaving New Orleans,” Jones said as he confirmed that McCarthy’s job in Dallas was safe.
Sean Payton offers his take on what Cowboys should have done on final play vs 49ers :: Jon Machota (Twitter)
Dan Patrick (@dpshow) asked Sean Payton to pretend to be a TV analyst and explain how the Chiefs got into FG range with only 13 seconds remaining. Patrick didn’t love Payton’s call.
Payton: “Then ask me about the end of the Cowboys game, and let me see if I can do this better.” pic.twitter.com/igI6HaCG1n
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 27, 2022
Kellen Moore may get playcalling help, according to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones :: Cowboys WIre
Not only does Jones want his offensive coordinator back on the Dallas sideline, he believes he’ll get him. Moore is scheduled to have a second interview with Miami regarding their head coach position, but the Cowboys owner believes Moore will return in 2022. And he’s not ruling out allowing out having McCarthy get more involved in influencing Moore’s offensive play calls.
Could Dak Prescott lose Comeback Player of the Year to Joe Burrow? :: The Landry Hat
The Cowboys passer was an early shoo-in to be named 2021’s Comeback Player of the Year just by virtue of returning in Week 1 after a gruesome ankle injury eleven months prior. But as Prescott’s play trailed off toward the end of the season, the Bengals signal-caller, who rehabbed extensively after his own brutal MCL and ACL tear, continued to light it up- against a tougher schedule- and led his team to the conference championship game.
Where Aikman, Staubach rank among QBs with multiple Super Bowl wins :: Cowboys Wire
Only 12 quarterbacks have won multiple Super Bowls. Among them, Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach rank seventh and eighth, respectively, in this list from NFL.com. Aikman won three titles and was at his best when it counted the most in the 1990s. Staubach went 2-2 in Super Bowls, but would be in the conversation for the greatest quarterback of all time were it not for a few bad breaks in the ’70s.
Fox or Amazon? Troy Aikman’s career is at a crossroads, but he won’t change his style :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Sunday could be Troy Aikman’s final game in the Fox Sports broadcast booth. He’ll be a free agent by Monday and is weighing offers to come back to Fox, jump to Amazon Prime as they enter the NFL arena, or maybe even do both. “I really don’t know what might happen,” the analyst said, adding that a decision would likely come sooner rather than later.
Tony Romo is America’s biggest NFL fan, and he’s not afraid to show it :: The Ringer
In Romo’s fifth year in the booth, he’s settled into a discernible pattern. When the contest he’s broadcasting is brimming with excitement (like last weekend’s Chiefs-Bills game), so is Romo. He’s at his giddy best when he’s improvising and being America’s biggest and smartest football fan. When the action is a dud (like last February’s Super Bowl), though, Romo simply doesn’t have much to add.
3 most important Cowboys' 2022 free agents :: Cowboys Wire
Of the two dozen free agents the Cowboys front office will have to come to a decision on, three in particular are at the top of the priority list. Re-signing Randy Gregory (fresh off knee surgery) is considered Job One to many observers this offseason. Bringing back Jayron Kearse after a surprising 2021 and coming to terms to keep Michael Gallup would also be major insurance in building off a divisional championship.
Friday was a bittersweet anniversary for the Cowboys :: RJ Ochoa (Twitter)
The Dallas Cowboys won Super Bowl XXX 26 years ago today. To date it is their last Super Bowl victory or even appearance.
It has been 9,498 days since that day.
If the Cowboys do not win the Super Bowl during the upcoming 2022 season then the drought will hit 10,000 days.
— RJ Ochoa (@rjochoa) January 28, 2022
What went right, what went wrong for Cowboys in 2021 :: Cowboys WIre
Much went right for the Cowboys in 2021: the offense’s overall performance and promise, Dan Quinn’s thumbprint on the defense, the decision to draft Micah Parsons, and Dak Prescott’s health. But the things that went wrong managed to negate those positives in the end.
Micah Parsons is giving away a trip to the Super Bowl to a United States military veteran :: Blogging the Boys
The rookie has partnered with USAA and AMVETS to send a United States military veteran to this year’s Super Bowl. Parsons will personally meet up with Chief Master Sergeant Frederick Bates, a 32-year Air Force vet, in Los Angeles during Super Bowl weekend.
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