Cowboys considering Shanahan

[A.E]

Where's Hoffa when you need him?

Sources: Jones might pursue Shanahan as coach
By Chris Mortensen, ESPN.com

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hasn't changed his mind about firing coach Wade Phillips, but Mike Shanahan would be the leading candidate if he ever does make a move, according to team sources.

Shanahan's unexpected firing Tuesday by the Denver Broncos has prompted Jones to give "thought" to hiring Shanahan as the future Dallas coach -- even more so than Bill Cowher or Mike Holmgren -- but 2010 may be more timely than 2009, the sources said.

The story was first reported Saturday morning on ESPN's NFL Countdown show.

Jones and Shanahan have had a strong relationship and share a mutual admiration for Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. Shanahan offered Romo more money than Jones did in 2003 when Romo was an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Illinois, Shanahan's alma mater.

Also appealing to Jones, Shanahan would not carry an exorbitant price tag. Because his contract had three years remaining, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen owes Shanahan $20 million. Any owner who hires Shanahan could pay him a lower salary than the estimated $7 million a year he's owed and Bowlen would be obligated to pay the balance of that "offset."

Going from Bill Parcells to Wade Phillips is like going from Administrative Segregation to the Country Club. If Dallas is going to find a happy balance of all the egos, make the proper changes in personnel and planning, and start getting clutch wins out of Tony Romo...then they need to ish-can Wade Phillips.

If I am Jerry Jones, I am the first person calling Shanahan, and I make the hire...even if it costs me Jason Garrett. I mean we aren't talking Triple-A baseball here and this "Head Coach of the future" crap is ridiculous. You know who else was supposedly "next in line"? Greg Williams in Washington was...look how that turned out. As I have said before, Jones has got to be fuming over the way Dallas went out this season and if he is looking to give Cowboys' fans a hope that things are going to be different next season...he needs a new regime. Jones also can't be too happy when he turns his TV on today, sees Parcells in the luxury box, and watches as Tony Sporano and a slew of former Cowboys' assistant coaches are on the Miami Dolphins' sideline.

Dump Phillips, dump Garrett, and dump the "easy-going, say anything, act-a-fool" atmosphere in Dallas. Hire Shanahan, lock things down again, and watch Dallas finally start living up to their potential. The Cowboys need a coach who doesn't take any crap from their players. After all...they were at least making it to the post-season the last time they had one. Did we ever see T.O. mouthing off to players and coaches on the Dallas' sideline when Parcells was in charge? Hell no we didn't. -AE

 

[PiStoL31PeTe]

That could end up being a good deal for Dallas if they got a coach like him. I'd like to see him stay in the league for a while more too

 

[Giantmetfan07]

I love Shanahan and I think he'll do great there. I read this morning on the bottom ticker thing on ESPN that JJ's "getting angrier and angrier by the day" since the last game.

Wouldnt surprise me to hear him change his mind and hire Shanahan.

 

[Hoffa]

Good post there AE and I agree with you. To be honest I never liked Wade Phillips since day one of this hiring and I was deeply upset when Bill quick, I hope we can get another coach like that in Dallas and if it has to be Shanahan then lets get him in there.