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When the news broke of the Cowboys retaining Lunda Wells, it was widely assumed he’d be back to coach the tight ends. And though his job title hasn’t been officially announced, keeping Wells should end the speculation that Jason Witten would wind up on the team’s staff in the immediate future.
Wells was one of the best coaches brought on by former head man Mike McCarthy and many feared losing him. The Chicago Bears tried to hire away the well-respected TE coach, but there was another reason many Cowboys fans are happy about the extension for Wells.
Retaining Wells is likely the nail in the coffin for the former TE, who would now struggle to fit the current Cowboys’ coaching staff, which seemed to be a big concern for the fanbase. While Witten was a star on the field, fans didn’t seem to love the idea of him being back as a coach with the team.
The rumors about Witten being placed on the staff by Jerry Jones and groomed to be the future head coach for organization have been running rampant since the season ended, but have since been squashed. While nothing has been official, bringing Wells back should kill any last gasp of hope of Witten’s inclusion.
However, no one would put making that type of move past Jones, and it was the main issue with the possibility of Witten being brought in for any role with the team. The thought that new head coach Brian Schottenheimer, or anybody who was being considered for the head coaching job, wasn’t in control of who he hired rightly sat the wrong way with the masses. Head coaches should be in charge of their staff, something 31 other franchises understand.
Sadly, the Cowboys’ owner hasn’t always seen it that way. Jones has hired coaches before the head coach before so it was fair to wonder if it would happen again. Jason Garrett was brought on by Jones as the offensive coordinator before Wade Phillips was hired as the head coach, and the team kept Kellen Moore as the OC when McCarthy was hired. Not an ideal way to build a coaching staff, or to embolden the new coach.
It’s hard to knock Witten as a candidate who might someday be a coach in the NFL. Currently, the four-time All-Pro, 11x Pro Bowl player, and Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year is busy winning back-to-back state championships for Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas. That’s proof that Witten can coach, but it’s a large leap from high school to professional football.
No one knows if Witten would be a good coach in the NFL or not, or his level of interest, but the success of Dan Campbell with the Detroit Lions has pushed the narrative that Jones is trying to find his Campbell in Witten. And it doesn’t help that Jones has mentioned Witten’s name on numerous occasions about his ability to one day do the job successfully.
For now, Cowboys fans wait to hear what position Wells will lead, with the offensive line being an option as well as the job he held for the last five years in Dallas. Either way, Wells being back is good news for a team that needs good coaching.
It’s also appearing like it’s good news that Witten is going to be a conversation for another time. With Wells back, the coach Witten talk looks like it can be shelved with the Cowboys.
One less act in the circus, for now.