Rumor: Cowboys on verge of firing Phillips?

[chumdawg]

UPDATE – 2pm EST – Jon Gruden has a clause in his MNF contract that won’t allow him to leave his analyst position to take the Cowboys HC position if Phillips was fired. As well, Tony Dungee has gone on record as saying he won’t coach this year.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who follows the NFL that Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips is on a short leash. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has gone on the record saying that the 0-2 start is “quite a setback” for the organization.

Word now comes from two great sources close to the organization that Jones is gauging interest from a few former NFL head coaches currently working on TV networks. CBS in-studio analyst Bill Cowher is Jones number one choice to replace Phillips. His second choice is NFL Network/Fox analyst Brian Billick. Both Cowher and Billick have Super Bowl rings, something Jones really wants to have when it comes to who will be leading his struggling team.

Many feel the players have tuned out Phillips and last Friday was a clear example of how this situation continues to snowball. Phillips got into details on Monday about Friday’s practice. “Do I think it could be better? Sure,” Phillips said. “Do I think we had a bad practice Friday? Yes, we told them that in the meeting. We went back over it and said, ‘Hey, we didn’t practice well enough.’” How does the same thing occur that has happened over the past two years under Phillips watch? Enough is enough and now is the time for Jones to pull the plug on him. It’s plain to see that the team has no identity and have tuned out Phillips.

I am told that if the Cowboys lose to the Houston Texans on Sunday that Jones won’t hesitate in firing Phillips. Two other possible candidates that have surfaced are Marty Schottenheimer and Steve Mariucci. Schottenheimer who last patrolled the sidelines for San Diego back in 2006-07, was fired by the Chargers in February of 2007. His 5-13 playoff record is definitely not appealing. While Mariucci has a 3-4 playoff record, he hasn’t coached since the 2005 season after a three year stint in Detroit.

Regardless, of what happens in Houston this Sunday, Jones needs to fire Phillips if he hopes to have his team in the playoffs come January. I for one truly believe one of the 4 names I have mentioned will be wearing that Star on their hat come early next week.

More to come as the week unfolds. I can be contacted at kevinlee@prosportsblogging.com anytime.

Kevin

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