Are the Cowboys trying to find a job for Jason Garrett other than head coach?

[Rowdy]

Getty Images

The most publicity-hungry sports organization has suddenly become a cone of silence.

Three full days after the Dallas Cowboys’ season of sky-high expectations ended without a playoff appearance, Jason Garrett remains the coach. And owner/G.M. Jerry Jones remains silent about his plans.

Garrett and Jones reportedly will meet yet again on Thursday. It will be the third meeting between Jerry Jones, Cowboys COO Stephen Jones, and Garrett since Monday.

So what’s to discuss? If Garrett and the Cowboys were negotiating the nuts and bolts of a new contract to coach the team, his agent would be involved at some point — and someone would be tempted to leak it. And if the Cowboys were considering keeping Garrett as the head coach, it would be smart to leak the possibility, so that fans and media can begin to get their brains around the prospect of Garrett staying put.

Here’s an idea: What if the Joneses are trying to find a way to keep Garrett around, but not as the head coach? What if (and I’m just spitballing) the Cowboys are considering hiring someone like Gary Kubiak to be the head coach, but with very narrow and specific duties given the health issues that caused him to stop being head coach of the Broncos three years ago?

Kubiak has rejuvenated Minnesota’s offense this year. Maybe Kubiak could do the same in Dallas, with Garrett occupying a new kind of job with a new kind of title, like simply “coach” to Kubiak’s “head coach.” Or assistant head coach. Or assistant to the head coach.

Or co-head coach. Maybe the Cowboys will be the second NFL team to have two head coaches (Greasy Neale and Walt Kiesling served as co-head coaches of the Steagles, a blended Eagles and Steelers team during World War II), with Kubiak installed a half-step above Garrett and with Garrett doing most of the heavy lifting that otherwise would be done by Kubiak.

Again, it’s all speculation. But the situation cries out for speculation, given that there’s precious little (no) information at all.

For such a loose-lipped franchise to suddenly clam up suggests that something is going on. And it’s starting to feel like something much more elaborate than an elongated farewell out of respect to Garrett. It’s starting to feel like the Cowboys want to find a way to keep him, without Garrett being in charge of he football team on game days.