Jason Witten has emerged as a surprise candidate for the Dallas Cowboys head coach role after owner Jerry Jones insisted the former tight end can be a “top coach.”

With Dak Prescott out for the rest of the season following surgery and the Cowboys sitting third in the NFC East with a 3-6 record, Mike McCarthy’s tenure as head coach appears over. Last week, the Cowboys were crushed 34-6 at home by their bitter rival Philadelphia Eagles.

McCarthy is coaching the Cowboys on an expiring contract and is widely expected to depart the team at the end of the season. The 60-year-old had entered the season with a win percentage of 62.7 percent – the highest career win percentage of any coach in team history – while he guided Dallas to two NFC East titles in the past three years.

The Cowboys have dominated in the regular season under McCarthy, but success has failed to translate to the playoffs; the Cowboys are 1-3 in the playoffs over his four years at the helm. As a result, there are plenty of rumors regarding who might replace him.

Given the recent trend of former players taking the reins of their old teams, Rex Ryan appeared on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’ and suggested Deion Sanders should return to Dallas to take over. Meanwhile, legendary Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin recently revealed on FOX Sports that he’s going to speak to Jones about hiring his former teammate – and fellow Super Bowl champion – Sanders.

But it seems Jones could move for someone other than the charismatic Colorado head coach. Instead, Jones suggested ex-Dallas tight end Witten could be the man to take over.

When asked if Witten could coach in the NFL one day, Jones told KLD-FM in Dallas, “Yes. Without hesitation. Yes. He has something that you can’t draw up. He reminds me a lot of our other tight end who is head coach up there in Detroit right now (Dan Campbell).”

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Jason Witten is a Cowboys legend who spent 16 years with the franchise

Jason Witten is a Cowboys legend who spent 16 years with the franchise ( 

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Getty Images)

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell is another former tight end who played for the Cowboys for three seasons. His time in Dallas overlapped with Witten, who played 16 years for the iconic franchise. Witten made 11 Pro Bowl appearances and was a two-time All-Pro. He tallied 1,228 receptions for 13,046 yards in his career, scoring 74 touchdowns before retiring after the 2020 season with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The 42-year-old currently coaches Liberty Christian School in Argyle, Texas. Jones added: “Jason is very sophisticated when it comes to understanding football and all the nuances. But more important than anything, he really does understand the physical and the mentality of being physical and that part of it. Without a question, he could become (an NFL coach). He has extraordinary work ethic. He can be a top coach.”

There has been a trend of teams hiring former players to coach, with Campbell leading the Lions, DeMeco Ryans at the Houston Texans, and Jerod Mayo with the New England Patriots. Perhaps Witten, not Sanders, will be the former player to take over in Dallas.

The 3-6 Cowboys face the 6-4 Texans are next in action on Monday Night Football on Nov. 18.