Jason Garrett could potentially return to the sidelines next year.
According to The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel, Garrett is a finalist for Stanford’s head coaching vacancy. David Shaw resigned after leading the Cardinal to a 3-9 record in his 12th season.
Garrett went 85-67 in 10 seasons as the Dallas Cowboys head coach. He joined NBC Sports following a brief stint as the New York Giants’ offensive coordinator.
Sports Illustrated‘s Ross Dellenger called the report another odd development in an “unusual hiring cycle.” Others were harsher when entertaining the idea of Stanford hiring Garrett.
However, NFL observers would happily send him to Stanford to get him off NBC’s Football Night in America.
Garrett was often criticized for conservative playcalling. Dallas fired him after going 8-8 for the fourth time in 2019. The Giants then ranked 31st in points and total offense in Garrett’s two seasons with the team.
The 56-year-old likely wouldn’t bring much ingenuity to Stanford, which has fallen on hard times after Shaw started strong
Mandel said Sacramento State’s Troy Taylor is another finalist for Stanford’s coaching job. Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman and former Denver Broncos head coach Vic Fangio are “no longer in the running.”.