Cowboys fans might actually love Cam Newton’s Arch Manning-Nick Saban conspiracy

The Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones' decision to replace Mike McCarthy by ostensibly promoting offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer to be a first-time NFL head coach didn't sit well with many. Not only did the organization shoot itself in the foot with timing in the coaching carousel and parting ways with McCarthy, but it still seemed like there were clearly higher-upside options.

By his reaction and how he handled the introductory press conference, perhaps even Jones feels the same way with how he appeared to belittle the new Cowboys head coach. But former NFL quarterback Cam Newton, while appearing on ESPN's First Take, thinks he has a reason for all of this — and it all involves Arch Manning and Nick Saban.

Newton suggested when discussing Dallas that Jones hired Schottenheimer, even on a four-year contract, because he wants the Cowboys to tank. There's also a specific reason for that tanking: Jerry Jones wants Arch Manning as his quarterback — and Newton also threw the cherry on top by suggesting that Nick Saban would join them (h/t On3).

"I think they’re tanking for Arch [Manning]. Make it make sense. Coach Schottenheimer has one-and-done written all over him. Okay, why do you want one and done? You get the first pick of the draft. Not only that, I’m going to go back into my godfather bag and say, okay, Jerry Jones is a businessman, and he’s going to get into his Don Corleone mentality and he’s going to give him a deal he can’t refuse. Who? Nick Saban. Go get Nick Saban as your head coach and Arch Manning as your No. 1 pick."

That would certainly bring all of the attention that Jones could ever want to the Cowboys.

Cam Newton suggests Cowboys are tanking to pair Arch Manning with Nick Saban

Newton's idea was honestly hard to poke holes in, at least for Stephen A. Smith, before Newton added that he doesn't believe Schottenheimer is the "alpha" needed in the Cowboys locker room to manage the stars and big personalities. Saban, on the other hand, would be.

I'll be honest, this isn't the most far-fetched conspiracy that you'll ever hear. Do you not think that Jones, the attention-seeker and businessman that he is, wouldn't love to get a Manning — much less one playing his college football in Texas for the Longhorns — to have the star on the side of his helmet? Imagine the ticket and jersey sales, especially if Arch, who is set to be the full-time starter finally in Austin for the 2025 season, is as good as advertised.

Where I would pivot from Newton's conspiracy, however, is that I'm not sure he picked the right high-profile college coach for this. Saban would make headlines, no doubt, but he also failed in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins. Instead, what if Arch Manning's head coach at Texas, Steve Sarkisian, joined him in Dallas?

We heard Sarkisian's name floated as a potential NFL candidate this offseason before that died down, but the Cowboys long felt like the natural fit there. If it's attached to Manning, that makes it an even more enticing proposition.

Of course, there are a lot of machinations that would have to work out to see Newton's conspiracy come to fruition. The Cowboys would have to bottom out under Schottenheimer, which isn't impossible but might be unlikely if this team is healthy, while we also don't know if Arch will enter the 2026 or 2027 NFL Draft with two years of eligibility still remaining.

Having said that, we've heard a lot worse ideas and conspiracies when it comes to the Dallas Cowboys over the years. And we've also heard many of them that don't have the upside that this one might.