SAN FRANCISCO — The last time Jason Garrett coached in an NFL game was the 2021 season, when he was the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
Garrett is best remembered as the head coach of the Cowboys, a place of employment for him for numerous years, nine as the man in charge. In his nine seasons, the Cowboys had four 8-8 seasons and didn’t break through to the NFC Championship Game.
It’s a place the Cowboys still haven’t reached since Garrett left after the 2019 season. Mike McCarthy couldn’t do it and he had three 12-win seasons, and now Brian Schottenheimer attempts to end the 30-year Super Bowl drought with Garrett working for someone else.
Garrett will be one of the TV analysts when NBC opens its coverage of Super Bowl LX on Sunday. He’s been with the network, working Notre Dame games and as one of the studio analysts for Football Night in America, since the spring of 2022.
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“It’s just a great opportunity for me to come over to NBC and I’ve just really enjoyed it,” Garrett said. “I wanted to check it out when I took some time off from coaching and it’s worked out really well to be a part of this team. It’s an amazing group.”
Garrett still has the desire to coach in the NFL. Last month, he interviewed for the vacant Tennessee Titans job that went to Robert Saleh.
“I’m just really living in the present and enjoying what I’m doing and when I get a chance to do some college games, I get a chance to back up (Mike) Trico on some NFL games and then do our stuff on Football Night in America on Sunday nights,” Garrett said. “I just really enjoy all aspects of it. I loved playing, I loved coaching, I’ve loved everything I’ve done in football.”
Garrett adjusted from coaching to broadcasting. Two of his closest friends, Troy Aikman (ESPN) and Babe Laufenberg (KRLD-FM and formerly the Ch. 11 sports anchor) are in the business. And when Garrett was a coach, he wasn’t a colorful quote. Garrett stuck with Coachspeak and was respectful of the questions by the media. He also did off-the-record sessions with reporters.
But he still had to learn about being a broadcaster.
Fred Gaudelli, the executive producer of Sunday Night Football, offered pointers to Garrett after every broadcast. Gaudelli pushed Garrett to provide strong opinions.
“You got to be honest with the viewers and just tell them what you think,” Gaudelli said. “But that doesn’t mean you got to go rip or criticize somebody. But they want to know what you think. You’ve had all these experiences; we have you up there because we’re saying you’re an expert and I think he really brought into that over the years.”
When it comes to the current Cowboys, Garrett maintains a high respect level for quarterback Dak Prescott and follows the team closely. He doesn’t do it so much because he’s a broadcaster and it’s part of the job, but he’s got solid relationships with people in the organization. When All-Pro guard Zack Martin retired, Garrett came to The Star to watch the ceremony.
Garrett didn’t offer any advice for Schottenheimer, entering Year 2 as coach, only saying, “I think he’s done a good job, tell him to trust his instincts, keep going.”
But after nearly seven years away, Garrett is surprised the Cowboys haven’t reached the Super Bowl.
“You certainly would think that by now that would happen,” Garrett said. “We have our stories when we were there as a coaching staff and some close games we played in the divisional round and chances to go to the championship game. But we didn’t get it done, and there’s a bottom line to this. The Cowboys, until they break through, people are still going to be talking about it.”
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