One of the story lines hovering over the Dallas Cowboys’ offseason has been Jerry Jones’ declaration that he was going to make things “very uncomfortable” for those working at the team’s Valley Ranch headquarters.

Signs of Jones’ discontent with the team’s second straight 8-8 season and lack of a playoff berth since 2009 started to show in the firing of defensive coordinator Rob Ryan and/or exit of several assistant coaches including running back coach Skip Peete, special teams coach Joe DeCamillas and even tight ends coach John Garrett, the brother of head coach Jason Garrett.

Was Jerry or Garrett calling the shots on these coaching changes? And would Garrett lose some of his game-day responsibilities?

Early reports ranged from Jones insisting that Garrett give up play-calling duties, to the owner/general manager almost conceding that offensive line coach Bill Callahan would assume those duties. Then the Cowboys and Garrett grew very quiet about the situation.

On Tuesday, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones told reporters that Garrett was the man to ask about the play-calling question. “At some point Jason will address that,” Jones said. A few hours later the Cowboys’ PR staff announced that Garrett would hold a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

Would the off-season’s biggest question be answered? After filibustering for more than half an hour of his press conference before answering questions, Garrett’s revelation was a big maybe.

Garrett’s non-committal sound bites included “working through the mechanics” of trying to involve Callahan more into coaching the offense because he would have no problem giving up those responsibilities. Garrett also pointed to the NFL’s successful teams whose head coaches call plays including Green Bay, New Orleans and Houston.

The “decision” could come as late as mid-August.

Jason Garrett's endurance is amazing. Going on 27 minutes and not one sip of water yet!!!—
Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 13, 2013

Jason Garrett: "Our staff is set." So, if there is a play-caller, it'll be from inside. Garrett or Callahan—
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 13, 2013

Summary of Garrett presser: No decision on play-caller, yet. System on O will have Callahan influence. Kiffin/TB coaches won JG over in '04.—
Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 13, 2013

Jason Garrett on whether or not Jerry wants him calling plays — "You'll have to ask him that". Says Jerry always like play-calling HCs.—
Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) February 13, 2013

Jason Garrett expects a play-calling explanation by early August for a preseason game. So… This topic isn't going away #yay—
Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 13, 2013

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett has been criticized for clock management miscues while calling plays. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones said Tuesday that head coach Jason Garrett will not be the team’s offensive play-caller next season.

While speaking to the media from Senior Bowl practices, Jones indirectly inferred that offensive coordinator Bill Callahan will take over the team’s play-calling and that Garrett agreed with the change.

Garrett said he would be comfortable with Callahan handling the play-calling next season before Jones spoke Tuesday. Garrett has called the Cowboys’ offensive plays since becoming head coach two and a half seasons ago. He has faced criticism for an offense that often must hurry to get a play off and game clock management mistakes.

“I’ve never been a guy where it’s been hell or high water that I’m going to call the plays,” Garrett said. “It gives you the opportunity to step back a little bit and engage in the other two aspects. Obviously, my role as the head coach, if I’m not the play-caller, will be significant.

Jones said that removing play-calling from Garrett’s game-day responsibilities should not be viewed as a negative.

“It’s not a step back for Jason. It’s actually a step forward for Jason in my mind,” Jones said. “Make no mistake about it, when I hired Jason to come into the organization as a coach he was hired specifically for his skills for his abilities to call the plays. When he became the head coach, it was at my insistence that he continue to call the plays. It was not at Jason’s insistence. It is not a step back for the Cowboys or a step back individually for him to change the way we basically are putting our game plan together or are calling the plays on the offensive side of the ball. As you well know, differences in opinion can frankly be a step in a better direction.”

Callahan’s 14-year resume includes four years (1998-2001) calling plays for the Oakland Raiders. Former Raiders wide receiver Tim Browns repeated a story Tuesday that implies Callahan’s decision to change the offensive game plan prior to Super Bowl XXXVII “sabotaged” the team’s chances to beat Tamp Bay.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones promised to make things uncomfortable for his team and coaches this offseason. (Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is quietly looking for a new offensive coordinator who would likely take over play-calling from head coach Jason Garrett, according to a league source in a ProFootballTalk.com report.

In a possibly related story, the Cowboys interviewed former Arkansas and Ole Miss head coach Houston Nutt this week for an undetermined job on their staff. The Cowboys currently have an opening at running backs coach.

Garrett is reportedly resisting the move and — in a possible effort to lower the odds of his in-season firing — has stipulated that the new OC must have no head-coaching experience.

ESPN.com’s Chris Mortensen first reported that Jones is pushing Garrett to give up play-calling. Bill Callahan currently has the dual title of offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, but Garrett calls all plays.

Garrett has come under criticism for making questionable game-management decisions, including ill-timed timeouts. The Cowboys, one of the league’s most penalized teams, often get offensive snaps off just as the play clock is expiring, which some attribute to a slow play-calling process and quarterback Tony Romo’s audibles.

After missing the playoffs for the third year in a row, Jones said he intended to make things uncomfortable for the Cowboys during the offseason. He began by firing running backs coach Skip Peete and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan.

Garrett’s brother and Cowboys tight ends coach, John Garrett, may also be feeling the heat at Valley Ranch. He applied for the head coach job at Delaware, but lost out to Rutgers offensive coordinator Dave Brock.

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett was criticized for his play-calling during the Cowboys’ 8-8 season. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Although he has thus far survived the wave of firings since the NFL’s regular season ended, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett is reportedly being pressured by owner Jerry Jones. Jones is pushing Garrett to relinquish play-calling duties, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen (via ProFootballTalk).

Garrett, the former Cowboys quarterback and offensive coordinator, is known as an offensive specialist, while the team hired Monte Kiffin as defensive coordinator this week to replace axed coach Rob Ryan. But Garrett came under fire after Dallas missed the playoffs for the third straight year at 8-8, particularly for his clock management.

Jones also wants Garrett to fire his brother, John, the team’s tight ends coach who is calling around the league in search of other jobs, according to Mortenson.

John Garrett also played at Princeton and participated in Cowboys training camp as a wide receiver in 1988. He came to Dallas as a coach along with his brother in 2007 and also held the title of “passing game coordinator” the last two years.

The move could be Jones’ way of forcing Jason Garrett out, writes PFT’s Mike Florio:

It also could mean that the Princeton-educated Garretts sense that Jones is trying to provoke a showdown that will result in Jason Garrett leaving as the head coach without Jones flat-out firing him.  Indeed, it’s one thing for Jones to roll out of bed one morning and decide to make a coaching change.  It’s quite another for Jones to want his head coach to make changes and for his coach to resist, creating an impasse that leads to only one logical conclusion.

The Cowboys are 21-19 during Garrett’s tenure as head coach. He replaced the fired Wade Phillips halfway through the 2010 season.

Eagles coach Andy Reid could be a candidate for the Cowboys’ head job after the season, according to a new report. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)

In a report that coincides with the Philadelphia Eagles’ trip to take on the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night, a source close to head coach Andy Reid told The Trenton Times’ Mark Eckel that Reid could be the Cowboys’ coach next season. Of course, both Reid and current Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett would have to be fired before that could even happen.

From Eckel’s report:

According to an extremely reliable source, who is close to Reid, the long-time Eagles head coach could be the head coach of the archrival Cowboys next year. [...]

“I know a lot of people think Andy is going to San Diego next year, and I can see that happening,” the source said. “But I keep hearing Dallas. I think he can end up with the Cowboys. As a matter of fact, I think he will end up with the Cowboys, if Jason is fired.”

The embattled Reid has endured the worst season of his coaching career with the Eagles in 2012, and he was asked if he was thinking about resigning after a 31-6 drubbing against Washington on Nov. 18. After a 3-1 start to the season, the Eagles have lost seven straight games

Though Dallas has also limped to a disappointing 5-6 record this season, Garrett’s fate is less certain. Another name that has been thrown around for the Cowboys opening is Sean Payton, who was suspended this season for his role in the Saints’ bounty scandal. He will be a coaching free agent after the season.

Jerry Jones said Sunday that he had no plans to leave as the Cowboys’ general manager. (Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Responding to a question from NBC’s Bob Costas in an interview Sunday, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones admitted that “Jerry Jones the owner” probably would have fired “Jerry Jones the general manager” by now.

“Well, I think so . . . because he was there to dismiss,” Jones said, according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.  “I’ve always worked for myself and you can’t do that. You basically have to straighten that guy out in the mirror when you work for yourself. But certainly, if I’d had the discretion, I’ve done it with coaches and certainly I would have changed a general manager.”

But in the interview, he also made clear that he planned to stay as the team’s GM for the long haul and that he did not plan to fire himself. He also said the same thing about head coach Jason Garrett and quarterback Tony Romo in their respective positions.

The Cowboys, playing the undefeated Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, had come into the game by limping to a 3-4 record in their first seven games this season.

Here’s video of the interview, from NBC:

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Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins was not cleared to practice by Dr. James Andrews after having shoulder surgery in the offseason. (J. Meric/Getty Images)

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Mike Jenkins was not cleared by renowned orthopedic surgeon James Andrews to practice, ESPN Dallas’ Calvin Watkins reported Monday night.

Jenkins underwent shoulder surgery after the 2011 season and has not practiced since. Originally, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said that Jenkins would probably be able to practice by the end of the preseason. But now that is unclear. From Watkins’ report:

Jenkins will continue his rehab work and conditioning until he is cleared. The Cowboys wanted Dr. Andrews to clear Jenkins first because he performed the surgery on the cornerback. If Jenkins had been approved by Dr. Andrews, Jenkins was then going to be seen by the Cowboys’ doctors to see if he could be cleared to practice.

At the start of training camp, coach Jason Garrett said Jenkins could return to practice by the end of the preseason. But now it’s uncertain when Jenkins will return.

Jenkins played in 12 games with the Cowboys last season, making 24 tackles and picking off one pass. The Cowboys dangled the disgruntled Jenkins as trade bait this offseason, with the Indianapolis Colts the most serious potential suitor.

Dallas became deeper at the cornerback position in the offseason, drafting Morris Claiborne with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft and signing free-agent cornerback Brandon Carr to five-year contract in March.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett has had difficulties with endgame time management for two consecutive weeks, and it’s cost his team two games.  And so, despite Garrett’s 12-9 record as a head coach, questions have begun to emerge about his job security should this Cowboys team miss the playoffs.  Team owner Jerry Jones went on NFL Network and attempted to quash those rumors, in terms that went well beyond the usual vote of confidence, according to two tweets from NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano:

Jerry Jones @NFLNetwork : "Jason [Garrett] is everything that I hoped he would be."

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Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 18, 2011

Jerry Jones @NFLNetwork on Garrett's job security: "No. There's no chance of a coaching change in any way."

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Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 18, 2011

Six men have been head coach in Dallas since Jimmy Johnson — who had led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl victories — resigned from the position largely due to his inability to coexist with Jones. None of those coaches have had tenures longer than four years. Garrett was named interim head coach nine games into the 2010 season, and became the actual head coach in January of 2011.