Jason Garrett becoming the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys for the 2011 season has gone from “likely” to definite.
NFL Network is reporting that the deal is done and Garrett will be introduced as the Cowboys’ head coach this week.
Michael Lombardi, who first reported on NFL Network that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had officially made the decision to hire Garrett, noted that the Cowboys “talked to Ray Sherman to satisfy the Rooney Rule.” That’s an interesting phrasing, as the purpose of the Rooney Rule isn’t just to talk to a minority coaching candidate for appearances’ sake. The point of the Rooney Rule is to encourage teams to actually consider minority coaching candidates. The hiring of Garrett comes across as though Jones first decided to make the hiring and then decided to interview a minority just to comply with league policies.
NFL Network’s Steve Mariucci, whose hiring by the Detroit Lions in 2003 led to then-Lions President Matt Millen being fined $200,000 for violating the Rooney Rule, also noted that Jones seemed to be rushing into hiring Garrett.
“I thought he might go through the process and talk to some other people that are out there,” Mariucci said.
Instead, Jones has made his decision, and Garrett is his man.