Speaking publicly for the first time since defensive end Jason Hatcher complained the Cowboys had no clear leader, head coach Jason Garrett explained he didn't believe leadership had to come from one central figure.
"We believe leadership's important throughout an organization," Garrett said. "That comes from ownership and administration, it comes from coaches and the best teams that I've been on, it comes from players. We have a real good band of players, experienced veteran players, who have been really good leaders for us over the past number of years.
"You can't get enough of them. We want more of them. We want young guys to be leaders, we want middle range guys to be leaders, when want our more veteran guys to be leaders. So, that's always a criteria when we're evaluating players . . . what's their makeup, what can they bring to our football team, are they leaders? And there are so many different styles of leaders."
Garrett said that the best teams he played on featured a variety of different leadership styles among its players - vocal guys, players who led by example, patted teammates on the back or had a more demonstrative approach.
Garrett also said leadership works best when it comes from the top.
"When you get your best band of players to take a leadership role for you, the better your team's going to be," Garrett said.
During a local radio interview last week, Hatcher said the Cowboys didn't have anyone whose authority in the locker room was comparable to Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens.
"I don't want to comment too much on what Hatch said. We certainly have very good leadership on our team," Garrett said. "I don't want to go into the names of the guys, but you know them, they set the pace for our team, and guys that we wouldn't trade for anybody."
