Jason Garrett has earned Cowboys' respect, but it's still time to 'Finish the Fight'
FRISCO, Texas — The huge videoboard — just off the highway, at the east entrance of the sprawling Dallas Cowboys complex that's still under construction — has a fresh slogan on display.
Set against the images of star Dallas players, the message reads: “Finish the Fight!”
Naturally, that’s the plan about now, with the Cowboys set to host their first divisional playoff game in nine years Sunday. But the anthem, inspired by coach Jason Garrett, also represents the synergy between the franchise’s proactive marketing department and its football operations.
For two seasons now, Garrett has been selling “Fight” as a theme to his players. Printed on T-shirts, sweatshirts and the like, the message didn’t quite work out as planned last season when the Cowboys floundered to a 4-12 season.
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But with new blood (hello, Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott), it’s a different deal now.
“Looking back on it, it’s Coach Garrett’s motto all along,” veteran tight end Jason Witten told reporters Thursday. “I’ve known him for 10 years. It’s finish what you do. It’s more than just the obvious. It’s the mentality of how you approach things.”
Teams often embody the persona of their coaches. In this case, the messaging also fits the coach. Garrett was groomed for his position and rode out three consecutive 8-8 finishes in his first three seasons (2011-13) in addition to last year’s debacle, flowing from Tony Romo’s twice-fractured collarbone. Now he's got the Cowboys riding high, home-field advantage secured with an NFC-best 13-3 record. But the expectations on Garrett have been raised.
No, this isn’t about his job security. Yet even after putting together such a sterling season with Prescott, a rookie quarterback, Garrett is still challenged to prove he himself was worth the franchise's investment in his development with just one playoff win in six-plus years at the helm. The Cowboys have won just three postseason games in the 21 years since their last Super Bowl triumph, following the 1995 season, when Garrett was quarterback Troy Aikman's backup.
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Garrett does a remarkable job keeping the focus on the here and now. This week, he deftly deflected questions about the controversial non-catch by Dez Bryant that proved instrumental when Dallas lost at Green Bay in the divisional round two years ago, not to mention queries about the long playoff history between the Packers and Cowboys. He stays on message. Players and coaches point to that as one of his strengths.
Yet the outside world might never know that, given Garrett’s status as maybe the most overshadowed coach in the NFL.
The face of the franchise is still the team’s owner, Jerry Jones. It was interesting — but standard protocol for the Cowboys — that at various points of the season, as the questions persisted about how the team would handle Prescott and Romo, it was the voice of the owner rather than the coach who expressed the team’s position. That it doesn’t seem to faze Garrett is one of the reasons he’s such a good fit for his job. Imagine how Jimmy Johnson, so instrumental in building those Super Bowl teams of the ‘90s, might have reacted with Jones casting such a large shadow. After all, their infamous split included differences about who received credit for what.
In any event, Garrett has earned respect for pushing the football buttons.
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“There were times when players ran to Jerry,” Cowboys chief operating officer Stephen Jones told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday, reflecting on his father’s impact over several years and multiple coaches.
“But I think it’s overstated. Jason’s got people’s respect, and he’s got a great message and leadership skills.”
Still, it’s must-listen sports talk radio in Dallas on Tuesdays, when Jerry Jones has his weekly show and headlines are often generated.
“Obviously, when it comes down to who plays on the football field, Jason’s going to make those decisions,” Stephen Jones said. “They’re always going to say Jerry did it, but that’s not correct.
“Sometimes, Jerry will put pressure on him and say, ‘Are you sure?’ But I think that happens in every organization, and it’s healthy.”
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Although Jerry Jones, who also serves as his own general manager, still has final authority over draft picks and the roster, Garrett’s significant influence is reflected, for example, on heavy investments the team made in building the NFL’s best offensive line, now the foundation for a team seemingly built to win over the long haul.
Listen to Garrett, though, and his message is for the moment.
As he put it, “We want to finish the task.”
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Follow NFL columnist Jarrett Bell on Twitter @JarrettBell
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