Coaches

IRVING – Owner Jerry Jones needed 34 days to select the fourth coach in the Cowboys' illustrious 37-year history. Mr. Jones insisted it was worth the wait.

Mr. Jones hired Chan Gailey, the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive coordinator for the last two seasons, on Thursday and charged him with returning the Cowboys to the NFL's elite. Mr. Gailey, 46, signed a five-year contract believed to be worth about $3 million.

"This is the beginning of a dream," said Mr. Gailey, the son of a football coach. "Another part of that dream is when ... Mr. Jones and I, the coaches and the players stand around the podium one late January afternoon with our hands on that Lombardi Trophy. The end of the dream will be that we were champions and winners with class and character."

Each of the Cowboys' first three coaches – Tom Landry, Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer – experienced the euphoria of winning the Super Bowl and holding the Lombardi Trophy. Mr. Landry and Mr. Johnson each won two Super Bowls, while Mr. Switzer won the Cowboys' last championship in 1995.

But Dallas finished 6-10 in 1997, its worst record since 1990, and Mr. Switzer's resignation was announced Jan. 9.

Mr. Jones said he needed more than a month to find Mr. Switzer's replacement because the job had so many requirements.

"I wanted someone who was highly regarded as an innovative and creative mind on the offensive side of the ball. I wanted a proven play-caller, who had done it in big games, and I wanted someone who had head-coaching experience," said Mr. Jones, who said he decided at 10 p.m. Wednesday night to hire Mr. Gailey.

"I was looking for someone who was in tune with today's NFL athlete. I wanted someone who had earned the respect of his peers, players and opponents, and I wanted someone who wanted to be this organization's head coach very, very much."

Mr. Gailey, who negotiated his contract, also accepted the salary constraints that Mr. Jones put on the job, which will make him one of the NFL's lowest-paid coaches.

Other candidates for the job were former UCLA coach Terry Donahue, former San Francisco coach George Seifert, Green Bay offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis and an unidentified college coach.

Mr. Gailey said he will be responsible for all facets of the offense, including calling plays in games.

"We may have an offensive coordinator in name," Mr. Gailey said, "but I'm going to handle the offense. There won't be any doubt about that."

All decisions on assistant coaches and personnel will be made jointly. Mr. Gailey said he will have substantial input, but the final decision will be made by Mr. Jones, also the Cowboys' general manager.

"Everyone knows the final decision goes through this gentleman right here," Mr. Gailey said as he pointed toward Mr. Jones. "We're going to have a great working relationship, and we're going to make decisions in the best interest of this football team. It's not who's right, but what's right for the team."

Mr. Jones insisted he would not purposely circumvent Mr. Gailey's authority.

"There is no road around Chan to me," Mr. Jones said. "Any decisions will have to come through Chan."

Mr. Gailey said he doesn't mind Mr. Jones' hands-on approach or inheriting a staff with eight assistant coaches already under contract. Receivers coach Hubbard Alexander, defensive tackles coach Craig Boller and defensive ends coach Tommy Hart are the only coaches on the Cowboys' staff who have not signed new contracts or joined other teams.

The Cowboys also need to hire an offensive coordinator. Ernie Zampese, who held the job the last four seasons, joined the New England Patriots two weeks ago.

"There are a lot of good football coaches in the world," Mr. Gailey said. "Just because I don't know them all doesn't mean they aren't out there. The guys here are very good coaches, so it's not like I'm working with just anybody."

Although their last championship was only three seasons ago, the Cowboys were a long way from the Super Bowl last season.

The Cowboys lost their last five games to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1991. They are one of the league's oldest teams, which could give them a small window of opportunity to win a championship with the core of talent remaining.

Their offensive line is aging, fullback Daryl Johnston is coming off neck surgery and Emmitt Smith, Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin are coming off their worst seasons in years.

"The question isn't who replaces Barry Switzer, but who they get to play offense," Mr. Switzer said. "They're good enough on defense with Deion Sanders and others, but it all comes down to offense. They need a new playbook and some new players."

Mr. Gailey's task is to improve an offense that finished 19th in the NFL last season and failed to score more than one offensive touchdown in 10 games. With the Steelers, Mr. Gailey directed a run-oriented attack that finished seventh in the NFL in scoring with 23.2 points per game.

"Most new coaches have to talk about how much they have to rebuild and how much is missing. They have to make excuses before the season even starts about how bad it's going to be," Mr. Gailey said. "We're certainly not in that situation, because I think we have a great nucleus of players."

The Steelers led the NFL in rushing (153.3 yards per game) and finished fourth in time of possession. Mr. Gailey also is credited with creating the five-receiver scheme while he was the Steelers' receivers coach, which helped Pittsburgh advance to Super Bowl XXX, where the Steelers lost to the Cowboys, 27-17.

He also was credited with creating much of the "Slash" package in 1996 that featured Pittsburgh quarterback Kordell Stewart as a receiver and an option quarterback in goal-line and short-yardage situations.

Mr. Gailey, however, was criticized several times last season for his play selection. The criticism began in the Cowboys' 37-7 win over Pittsburgh in the season opener and continued in the Steelers' loss to Denver in the AFC championship game.

In each game, running back Jerome Bettis was running well when Mr. Gailey opted to put the ball in Mr. Stewart's hands and pass more.

"Let's just say there were some things we could have done better," Mr. Gailey said. "Let's leave it at that."

Mr. Gailey has been a head coach three times.

He coached Troy (Ala.) State in 1983 and 1984, the Birmingham Fire of the World League in 1991 and 1992 and Samford (Ala.) University in 1993. Mr. Gailey's 1984 team, Troy State, won an NCAA Division II national championship, and he led the Fire to a 12-7-1 record and consecutive playoff berths. Samford was 5-6 under Mr. Gailey.

Mr. Gailey also spent six seasons with the Denver Broncos from 1985-90, including two seasons as offensive coordinator and receivers coach. In that time, the Broncos went to the Super Bowl three times, losing each game.

Mr. Gailey emerged as a candidate with the Cowboys last weekend at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, when Mr. Jones asked the Steelers for permission Saturday night to talk to him.

Mr. Jones said Mr. Gailey's name continued to surface during discussions with NFL general managers and coaches and Larry Lacewell, the Cowboys' director of pro and college scouting. Mr. Jones and Mr. Gailey met for more than eight hours in three meetings covering two days.

Then Mr. Jones secretly flew Mr. Gailey into Dallas on his private jet Monday night. Mr. Gailey returned home Tuesday afternoon on Mr. Jones' plane before returning to Dallas about 1 a.m. Thursday morning.

"The process began with an image in my mind," Mr. Jones said. "I'm proud it took so long. I gave this club, our players and our fans the opportunity to end up with the best man. Chan's the man."