MOBILE, Ala. – The Cowboys gave all indications a week ago that they'd be retaining the bulk of their coaching staff, and that is indeed the case.
As Senior Bowl practices kicked off Tuesday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones confirmed that he had re-signed all of his coaches to new contracts. The timing couldn't be better, as the coaching staff left for Arizona on Tuesday to coach in the upcoming Pro Bowl.
The only change to the 2015 coaching staff is the one that Cowboys coach Jason Garrett confirmed last week: offensive line coach Bill Callahan accepted a job offer with the Washington Redskins, while assistant offensive line coach Frank Pollack was promoted to the top spot.
No hire has yet been made to fill the assistant offensive line position, but Jones said he's seriously considering Marc Colombo as a candidate for the vacancy. Colombo started at right tackle for the Cowboys from 2006-10, and he's been working in the team's personnel department for the better part of the last year.
"You would really have to think he's the leader in the clubhouse, because he's highly, highly respected and thought of by all the members of the staff, and I know firsthand with Jason," Jones said. "I can tell you the work he's been doing around our place this year is really admirable."
Asked about Colombo last week, Garrett declined to speculate on the job opening, but he gave the former offensive linemen a huge vote of confidence.
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"You want Colombo on your side. We'll figure out what to do with him, y'know? He's fantastic," Garrett said. "He really embraced his role in personnel and helped our team."
Jones said Colombo is making the trip to Arizona this week to join the coaching staff during Pro Bowl practices.
"We haven't done anything definitive yet, but we'll see how that goes in the weeks ahead," he added. "I don't want to get ahead of ourselves here."
Jones also addressed the future of another member of his coaching staff in Monte Kiffin. The Cowboys demoted Kiffin from the defensive coordinator position following the 2013 season, elevating Rod Marinelli in his place. Kiffin served the past year as a defensive assistant head coach, until his contract expired.
Jones said he'll determine Kiffin's future when the coaching staff returns from the Pro Bowl.
"I'll work with him when he gets back. He's technically operating under the same contract that he's had," he said. "I'll sit down with him when we're through with the Pro Bowl and get back after the Super Bowl."
