Jason Garrett has spent a lot of his 10 years in the NFL on the hot seat, and he could soon find himself there again. Although Garrett has had only two seasons below .500, he’s failed to get the Cowboys up to the standards of owner Jerry Jones and those who consider Dallas “America’s Team.”

With much of their young core secured and Dak Prescott’s presumed extension on the horizon, the Cowboys could look to get a new voice on the sideline if they don’t finish the season strong. 

Jason Garrett’s career with the Cowboys

After taking over for Wade Phillips in 2010, Garrett presided over most of the Tony Romo era in Dallas. The team was only 6-10 the following season; this was followed by three-straight seasons of 8-8 before the team celebrated a 12-4 season in 2014.

The Cowboys have been something of a roller-coaster affair under Garrett since then, with Dallas historically matching a good season with a mediocre or bad one after. The Cowboys have made the playoffs three different times under his tutelage, but they’ve not made it past the divisional round once.

Although Garrett has shown an ability to get regular-season success, his lack of postseason success is concerning after a decade of chances. At 5-4, a strong season’s end could give the Cowboys another chance. If they struggle, however, the team could see another drop.

Looking forward, it may be the perfect time to start over if the Cowboys don’t break the trend and make it deep into the offseason. Garrett has had plenty of chances, and an owner like Jones may grow impatient with his coach. 

Is the end near for Garrett?

Things were looking good for the Cowboys after three weeks, with the team sweeping its first round of opponents. However, things went south as the competition got harder, and the team dropped the next three games. Once again facing weaker opponents, the Cowboys found their footing before falling in Week 10 against the rising Vikings. 

Jones has spoken in cryptic tones regarding Garrett’s future with the team. Although he was complimentary, reading between the lines, per Pro Football Talk, could portray an owner willing to let go of his coach. 

“He’s had a lot of years that he’s been a part of the Cowboys and he evolved into what, I think, is a top coach,” Jones said. “He would be a very sought after coach if he were out here in the open market. So, there’s a lot of pluses there.

Jones thinks Garrett is a hot commodity, praising his abilities, although he was relatively dismissive when it came to a vote of confidence for next year. 

“He brings a lot to the table and I can genuinely say that that is not a thought that I am having,” Jones said. “So, it would be unfair to our fans for me to have any indication about what I may think the future is as far as head coach.”

What’s next for Garrett and the Cowboys?

If the Cowboys were going to fire Garrett, they likely would have done it after the three straight losses earlier in the season. Now, it would likely be too late regardless of how the season ends. Entering the offseason, the team needs to decide if Garrett is the hot commodity Jones believes he is. 

A hot ending could save Garrett for another year, but if the team continues simply defeating the teams they are supposed to beat and losing to the league’s best teams, it may be time to look at somebody else.