Sports
Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Talks Urban Meyer’s Interest, Amari Cooper’s Contract, More
Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated PressDallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones touched on a number of topics, including former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and receiver Amari Cooper, during his weekly radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan’s Shan & RJ on Tuesday.”For Urban Meyer to say that is compliment,” Jones said of Meyer expressing interest in the Cowboys’ head coaching…
Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones touched on a number of topics, including former Ohio State coach Urban Meyer and receiver Amari Cooper, during his weekly radio appearance on 105.3 The Fan's Shan & RJ on Tuesday.
“For Urban Meyer to say that is compliment,” Jones said of Meyer expressing interest in the Cowboys' head coaching job last week, according to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “The job is a great a job. If you like to go to center stage, be at the very top. Our organization gives you that opportunity. It doesn't not surprise me.”
Earlier this month, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported Jones is “very intrigued” by Oklahoma Sooners coach Lincoln Riley as Dallas coach Jason Garrett is in the final year of his contract. When asked about a Riley-Cowboys connection during an appearance on FS1's The Herd With Colin Cowherd, Meyer—now a college football analyst for Fox—seemingly expressed interest in the job himself:
FOX Sports @FOXSports
.@ColinCowherd: Would Lincoln Riley consider leaving Oklahoma for the Cowboys?
@CoachUrbanMeyer: I can't speak for him. I hate to even speculate… That's the one job in professional football you say, ‘I've got to go do that'. https://t.co/7f33Iv47Zg
“That's New York Yankees, that's the Dallas Cowboys. That's the one. Great city. They got Dak Prescott, Zeke Elliott. You got a loaded team. And I can't speak for him obviously, I hate to even speculate because I don’t know him, that's really not fair, but to me, that’s the one job in professional football that you say, ‘I got to go do that.'”
Meyer has spent 17 seasons as a head coach at the college level, compiling a record of 187-32 while running four different programs. Most recently, he went 83-9 with a national championship at Ohio State, never winning fewer than 10 games in a single season during his seven-year run in Columbus.
He announced in December 2018 that he would be retiring in part because of health concerns, as a cyst in his brain had been causing stress-related headaches. At that time, he said, “I believe I will not coach again.”
Although he may not have envisioned the Cowboys job being available back in December, it appears as though the 55-year-old Meyer would consider returning to the sidelines if Jones came calling.
Meanwhile, Jones does not appear to be worried about reaching a new deal with Cooper, who is scheduled to be a free agent at the conclusion of the 2019 season.
“I have no reason to think Amari Cooper won't finish his career as a Dallas Cowboy,” Jones said, via Jori Epstein of USA Today.
Some questioned Dallas for trading a first-round pick for Cooper ahead of the 2018 trade deadline. However, the results are hard to argue with.
The Cowboys were 3-3 last season prior to the midseason trade. They proceeded to go 7-3 down the stretch en route to the NFC East crown, ultimately reaching the divisional round in the playoffs.
Cooper played a big role in Dallas' success last year, hauling in 896 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games, including the postseason. And it's been more of the same this season.
The three-time Pro Bowler has 38 catches for 621 yards and five scores through the first seven games of his contract year.
“We're proud to have Amari,” Jones said, per Epstein. “He's impactful to our team. That's exactly what we used that pick for.”
Taken fourth overall in 2015, Cooper is in the final year of his rookie contract and is making $13.9 million in 2019.
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