Report: Cowboys Interested in Urban Meyer for Possible Coaching Job

Urban Meyer is taking a break from coaching this year, but it doesn't mean he couldn't return to the sidelines in the future.

According to the NFL Network's Jane Slater, the Cowboys have a "very real interest in Meyer." Slater reports executive vice president Stephen Jones spoke with Meyer recently.

Earlier this fall, Meyer expressed interest in coaching the Cowboys when he appeared on The Herd With Colin Cowherd. Cowherd asked Meyer if he thought Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley would be open to coaching in Dallas, and their conversation led to Meyer saying he would be interested in talking with the Cowboys.

"Absolutely. Absolutely," he said. "That one? Yes."

Riley has reportedly formed a "close relationship" with the Cowboys. The Jones family is connected to Riley through owner Jerry Jones's grandson, John Stephen Jones, who is a quarterback at Arkansas. The NFL Network's Ian Rapoport previously reported John Stephen and his father Stephen Jones visited Riley in Norman, and Oklahoma attempted to recruit the younger Jones as a walk-on.

Slater reported Riley "remains a strong candidate" in Dallas and added Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott is also under consideration by the franchise.

After three straight losses, rumors continue to heat up over Cowboys coach Jason Garrett's future with the franchise.

The Cowboys fell 31–24 to the Bears on Thursday Night Football, and Jerry Jones expressed his frustration with another defeat following the game. He added that there are no changes are expected to come for the players or Garrett before the season ends.

"We'll line them up here next week. We're gonna go practice and we're going to try to win a football game," said Jones, per NFL.com. "Everybody that's in here that's healthy, everybody that's healthy that's coaching will be coaching, everybody that's in here will be playing. We just got to play better."

Last week, ESPN reported that Dallas will allow Garrett to finish the season, regardless of its outcome.