As McCarthy Shuffles Jobs, Will Jason Witten Move to Cowboys Coaching Staff?
FRISCO - The Dallas Cowboys' remaking of the coaching staff continues with new coach Mike McCarthy opting to not retain under-contract QB coach Jon Kitna, as we reported earlier this week. Along with that move, we suggested the possibility of Doug Nussmeier staying on staff, but moving from tight ends coach to QB coach.
That would clear up an issue that the 2019 Cowboys had, as CowboysSI.com reported even before McCarthy was hired, “too many chefs in the Dak kitchen.'' ... which sometimes resulted in Kitna conflicting with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
The new head coach is clearly in charge. “I have the absolute final decision on my coaching staff,” McCarthy said late last week.
But in addition to "clearing out the kitchen''—with McCarthy, Kellen and Nussmeier being the three guys with a QB-related voice, rather than last year's quartet of influencers—is 38-year-old tight end Jason Witten ready for a second retirement and a career change to position coach?
We don't know what McCarthy's opinion of Witten as a coach is, but we know what the Jones family thinks of Witten—and seeing him leave The Star to serve as a position coach elsewhere is something the family would find upsetting.
"I think it will be a pretty quick decision,'' Witten said before Week 17 when asked of his retirement timing. "When I’m done playing, (coaching is) something I’d like to do, for sure.''
At what level would Witten like to coach?
"Right here,'' Witten said, again cleverly leaving the listener responsible for determining if "right here'' means "the NFL'' or "the Cowboys.''
None of this is to denigrate the talents of Moore or Kitna or anyone else, but rather to suggest that there sometimes wasn't enough credit to go around when it came to Dak's success.
Moving forward, Moore is being retained but as we have reported he will be stripped of his play-calling duties in favor of McCarthy. CowboysSI.com sources tell us Joe Philbin will not only be the O-line coach but could also serve as the assistant head coach, likely in charge of the running game. Nussmeier shifting to QB coach leaves another opening.
If Jason Witten wants a crack at it, here's betting he gets it.
