If the New York Giants are done with Pat Shurmur, they might turn to one of their largest enemies to right the ship.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Sunday revealed that there is a mutual interest between the Giants and current Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett.
Rapoport said that the Giants “have emerged as a real and legitimate, potential landing spot” for Garrett while adding the Cowboys’ coach’s “preferred destination” will be MetLife Stadium.
Garrett is in the final year of his contract with the Cowboys after a decade-long tenure.
He has accrued the second-most wins in franchise history behind the legendary Tom Landry. However, he has only made the playoffs three times and has never advanced beyond the Divisional Round.
His inability to deliver the Cowboys their first Super Bowl title since 1996 has long put his career in Dallas in doubt — especially with the unpredictability of owner Jerry Jones — but it is reaching a fever pitch during the second half of the 2019 season.
A report from October by CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora claimed that Garrett was not in danger of being fired, but playoff success was imperative for him to return to the team in 2020.
The Cowboys started the season 3-0, but have gone 3-4 since then to make their lead in the NFC East a tight one over the Philadelphia Eagles.
If the Eagles — who have an easier schedule down the stretch — catch the Cowboys for the division and they either miss the playoffs or are bounced early again, Garrett’s days in Jerry World are likely numbered.
There has been no indication from the Giants that they want to make a coaching change at this time. SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano reported as recently as Nov. 11 that the Giants had “no immediate plans for ownership to either fire Shurmur or to force any staff shakeup… at least until the end of the season.”
Shurmur has done little to instill confidence that he is the guy to lead this team. He’s 7-19 in his 26 career games with the Giants — which has been a poorly put-together team assembled by GM Dave Gettleman.
Garrett’s potential availability could coax Giants co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch to show Shurmur the door, regardless. Rapoport added that the Giants would have fired former head coach Tom Coughlin in 2014 if Garrett was available for the taking.
The 53-year-old Garrett spent four seasons with the Giants as a backup quarterback from 2000-2003.
