Troy Aikman: Cowboys' Handling of Jason Garrett's Firing Shows Their 'Dysfunction'
Former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman is not pleased with how the organization handled the firing of head coach Jason Garrett.
While speaking with FOX 4 Sports' Mike Doocy, Aikman shared his disappointment with Dallas and how long they took to announce Garrett's dismissal.
"When the organization was unwilling to come out publicly and say that, 'We are seeking a new coach,' and yet at the same time, reports are coming out that they are interviewing potential new candidates for the head coaching position, that's disappointing," Aikman said. "I think in a lot of ways it shines the light on some of the I guess dysfunction, if you will, within the organization and kind of how they got to the point that they are in now."
It was expected that Garrett would be fired at the end of the season. However, the Cowboys dragged out making the announcement while they reportedly started interviewing head coaching candidates. Before officially firing Garrett, the team interviewed both former Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and former Packers head coach Mike McCarthy, who was hired as Dallas' next head coach on Monday.
Garrett and team owner Jerry Jones met at least twice during the week before he was finally informed Sunday that he would not return as head coach. His contract with the team was set to expire on Jan. 14.
Aikman also chastised the Cowboys for how they treated Garrett during the situation.
"He committed everything he had to the organization and to doing the best job that he could," Aikman said, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "Breakups are always hard...but I don't know that after all that he gave and committed to this organization that he received the same in return."
Garrett went 85–67 in nine and a half seasons in charge of the Cowboys, who stumbled to an 8–8 finish this season and fell short of the playoffs.
On Monday, McCarthy confirmed to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that he had signed with Dallas to become the team's next head coach.
