Several former Dallas Cowboys players have made the move off the field and onto the sidelines. Several have served as position coaches and coordinators over the years.
But a select few have made it all the way up to the head coach’s office at various levels of college and pro football.
Here’s how they have fared.
Dan Reeves
Long considered Tom Landry’s heir apparent Reeves took the job at the head coach of the Denver Broncos in 1981.
With 11 years as an assistant coach and eight years as a player, Reeves was ready for the job.
The first three years as an assistant coach (offensive backs) Reeves also suited up and played as a running back for Dallas.
His last five years as a coach for the Cowboys were as the team’s offensive coordinator.
He would lead the Broncos for 12 years, including six playoff appearances. Denver would reach three Super Bowls under Reeves over a four-year span, but lost all three by a combined score of 136-40.
He went on to serve as head coach for the Giants for four years, with one playoff appearance. He wrapped up his coaching career in Atlanta for seven years.
The Falcons reached the playoffs twice during his tenure and the Super Bowl once. But in an ironic twist of fate, the Falcons lost Super Bowl XXXIII to the Denver Broncos, 34-19.
Had Jerry Jones not purchased the Cowboys and installed Jimmy Johnson as head coach, odds are that Landry likely retires after the 1992 season — after Reeves left Denver — and his former assistant would take over.
Mike Ditka
After closing out a 12-year playing career – the last four in Dallas – Ditka spent nine years as an assistant coach under Landry.
He was named head coach of the Chicago Bears prior to the 1982 season, the players strike shortening the season to just nine games and a 3-6 record.
But in 1985, Iron Mike had shaped the Bears into his image and the steamrolled their way through the NFL.
After a 15-1 regular season – marred only by a loss to Miami and including a 44-0 win over the Cowboys – the Bears had a Lombardi Trophy in sight.
Chicago blanked both the Giants and the Rams in their first two playoff games to advance to face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
The Patriots snapped the defensive shutout streak a little over a minute into the game.
They only made the Bears mad. Chicago went on to win 55-10.
After 11 years in Chicago Ditka’s time with the Bears ended. After a four-year hiatus, Ditka returned to the sideline in 1997 as head coach of the Saints.
But he would go 15-33 in New Orleans. His lone highlight would be trading an entire draft’s worth of picks to draft Ricky Williams.
The gamble did not pay off.
Danny White
After a 13-year NFL career – and three straight NFC Championship game losses as a starting quarterback – White’s career ended following the 1988 season.
White fell off the football radar for three years before taking on the job as head coach of the Arena League’s Arizona Rattlers in 1992.
In 13 years in Arizona, he compiled a 121-65 record and two Arena Bowl championships in five tries.
Similar to Tom Landy’s Super Bowl record.
His team would lose three straight Arena Bowls from 2002-2004, White’s last three years with the team.
After taking a year off, White took over as head coach of the expansion Utah Blaze.
But White could not get the team past the Wild Card round in three seasons there. He was inducted into the Arena League’s Hall of Fame in 2002.
Jason Garrett
After an eight-year career as a backup quarterback – seven with the Cowboys – Garrett made the rounds as an assistant coach.
He served as offensive coordinator for the Cowboys under Wade Phillips for nearly four seasons.
When Dallas struggled in 2010, Phillips was fired and Garrett elevated to head coach.
Over his 10 year run, the Cowboys would only have one losing season.
But they would only have four seasons that ended with winning records. The rest were all 8-8 finishes.
The last 8-8 season, in 2019, combined with a 2-3 playoff record spelled the end for Garrett.
Deion Sanders
Prime Time stepped into the coaching fraternity at the college football level in 2020.
Sanders took on the role of head coach at Jackson State after serving as an assistant coach at a high school in Dallas.
But despite the lack of experience, Sanders was a success.
In just three seasons he led his team to a 26-5 record and a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship over Southern University.
Coach Prime departed Jackson State to take over the Colorado Buffaloes in the Pac12. Sanders has cleaned house, looking to rebuild a one-win program.
He may have his eyes on a bigger prize – an NFL job – if he can make the Buffs a winner.
Ray Horton
The former defensive back for the Cowboys came up a little short last weekend in his bid to capture a USFL championship as his Pittsburgh Maulers fell to the Birmingham Stallions on Saturday.
But Horton took a team that was dead last the previous season and got them to the title game the next year.
Assuming the USFL returns for a third season, it will be interesting to see if Horton can continue that trend.
