Jerry Jones circus of a coaching search is just getting started as Cowboys legend considered

Jerry Jones put himself and the Dallas Cowboys in this position. He spent the last week between the end of the regular season and the Monday after wild card weekend failing to bring Mike McCarthy back. 

Per reports, the two sides couldn’t come to a contract agreement. And honestly if Jones wanted to bring McCarthy back, it shouldn’t have been a difficult contract to negotiate. But much like how this season has gone, this was just another move with clueless intentions. 

Which makes the latest potential replacement for the Cowboys equal parts ironic and potentially catastrophic. The latest name circulating as Jones’ next coaching target is Cowboys legend and former tight end Jason Witten, per Nick Harris of the Fort Worth Star -Telegram. 

It feels exactly like something Jones would do. And it feels like Witten is probably the best option they're going to get thanks to how Jones has handled McCarthy’s expiring contract. 

The Dallas Cowboys circus of a coaching search is hitting new depths with rumored targets for Jerry Jones

Between Jason Witten surfacing as a possible replacement for McCarthy, Kellen Moore possibly making his return to Dallas and even John Gruden potentially being a candidate, this almost feels like a joke rather than serious. 

If Jones is really turning to either one of those three as the next coach of the Dallas Cowboys, it will be a long time before the Cowboys get back to contending for a championship. None of these coaches scream championships. 

Truthfully the Cowboys and Jones have no one to blame but themselves for how this coaching search has gone and seemingly failed. Jones knew McCarthy’s contract was expiring, whether he planned to bring him back or not. 

Jones could have gotten an idea what McCarthy was going to ask for before the season ended. And if they agreed to wait until the season was over, it still could have been handled better than it was. 

Witten hasn’t coached in the NFL and the extent of his coaching experience isn’t beyond high school. The only reason he’s linked to the Cowboys is because he’s held in high regard in Arlington. 

But why tarnish his legacy in Dallas this way? Right now, he has the utmost respect from Jones and the fan base. Becoming the coach of a team that has absurd expectations has way more risk than reward.

And Jones even considering doing that to Witten is everything wrong with the Cowboys’ coaching search. They have to be smart in how they move as the next person to lead this offense will have sky-high expectations. 

Choosing Witten as that person – or Moore or even Gruden for that matter – seems like a force rather than a realistic solution.