IRVING – The Cowboys' coaching search will take a break through Super Bowl XLI.
Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said a decision has not been made on Bill Parcells' successor after meeting with eight prospects.
Now, Chicago Bears defensive coordinator Ron Rivera's name has surfaced as a possibility for the Cowboys head coaching position or defensive coordinator's job.
Jones said the Cowboys could interview more candidates after Sunday's game between Indianapolis and Chicago.
"I feel very good," Jones said in his first public comments since Parcells' resignation Jan. 22.
"We've spent a lot of time – and I know our fans expect me to – in each interview, and I've been very thorough, and they have been very thorough with me. I like good feedback when I'm talking to an individual about where he's been and where he's going. All of that I'm real pleased with. I feel very comfortable with where we are, but if I can, I don't want to leave any stone unturned. We've got to get this right."
Jones and his son, Stephen, the team's executive vice president, have met with Tony Sparano, Todd Haley, Todd Bowles, Jason Garrett, Wade Phillips, Gary Gibbs, Norv Turner and Mike Singletary about the head coaching vacancy, and he did not rule any candidates out of the mix Wednesday.
Jones contacted each candidate Wednesday afternoon to inform them of his decision.
"I appreciated him calling me," Phillips said. "Good things happen when you wait, so we'll see what happens."
By waiting until after the Super Bowl, Jones could have the chance to speak with Rivera or Colts quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell.
"Of course I would like to be a head coach in the NFL," Rivera said from Miami. "That's why I have been preparing all these years, and what better opportunity than to start with the Cowboys. If it's not with the Cowboys, I know I'll have another opportunity with another team."
League rules prevent Jones from talking to assistants on the staffs of the Super Bowl teams until after the game.
Rivera does not have a contract with the Bears after the Super Bowl, and sources said he is a candidate to join Turner as defensive coordinator should Turner become the Cowboys' seventh head coach in franchise history.
Jones and his family are scheduled to leave Dallas this afternoon for Miami and are expected to return Sunday night. Turner, whose brother Ron is the Bears offensive coordinator, and Singletary, who had a 12-year Hall of Fame career with Chicago, have said they will be in Miami for the Super Bowl.
During an eight-hour interview Sunday, Turner presented several different plans regarding how he would handle the defense.
One plan included Rivera as the defensive coordinator, if he was made available by the Bears. Another had secondary coach Todd Bowles as the coordinator. Turner expressed to Jones that he has no problem with Bowles as the defensive coordinator.
To get Rivera, Chicago would have to grant the Cowboys permission, because under league rules, it has an exclusive negotiating period through Feb. 20 with assistants.
"I had a good talk with Jerry," Turner said, before boarding a flight to Miami. "He will get started again after the Super Bowl, and we'll find something out soon."
Jones acknowledged Parcells' departure caught him by surprise, but he had things, "in my desk drawer and things in my back pocket that should prepare you if somebody gets hit by a car, so to speak," Jones said.
Parcells is expected to return to New York on Friday.
"We've got a good football team, and I've got to get this right," Jones said. "And we've got to make a good decision when we select the next coach. We have the opportunity and plan in place to allow us to have that."
Carlos Nava from Al Dia contributed to this report.
tarcher@dallasnews.com ;
cwatkins@dallasnews.com
| WHERE ARE THEY NOW? | | Five assistant coaches from the 2006 season remain on the Cowboys' staff. The rundown: | | Assistant coach | Position | Current position | | Todd Bowles | Secondary | With Cowboys | | Vincent Brown | Inside linebackers | With Cowboys | | Bruce DeHaven | Special teams | Seattle special teams coach | | Todd Haley | Wide receivers | Arizona off. coordinator | | Freddie Kitchens | Tight ends | Arizona assistant coach | | David Lee | Offensive quality control | Arkansas off. coordinator | | Anthony Lynn | Running backs | Cleveland running backs | | Mike MacIntyre | Safeties | Jets secondary coach | | Chris Palmer | Quarterbacks | Giants quarterbacks coach | | Paul Pasqualoni | Linebackers | With Cowboys | | Kacy Rodgers | Defensive line | With Cowboys | | Tony Sparano | Run game coordinator | With Cowboys | | Mike Zimmer | Defensive coordinator | Atlanta def. coordinator | |
| 10 DAYS AND COUNTING | | Today is Day 10 of the Cowboys' search for a new head coach. How long it took the other five NFL teams to fill their coaching vacancies last month: | | ATLANTA: 6 days | Jim Mora Jr. fired Jan. 1 | Bobby Petrino hired Jan. 7 | | ARIZONA: 14 days | Dennis Green fired Jan. 1 | Ken Whisenhunt hired Jan. 15 | | MIAMI: 16 days | Nick Saban left Jan. 3 | Cam Cameron hired Jan. 19 | | PITTSBURGH: 17 days | Bill Cowher retired Jan. 4 | Mike Tomlin hired Jan. 21 | | OAKLAND: 18 days | Art Shell fired Jan. 4 | Lane Kiffin hired Jan. 22 | |
Williams endorses Bowles as coordinator
Cowboys strong safety Roy Williams said he would endorse the team promoting Bowles from secondary coach to defensive coordinator.
Williams made his first comments to the media in almost two months during a news conference for the Pro Bowl in Miami on Wednesday.
"Most definitely," Williams said when asked if he wanted Bowles running the defense. "Coach Bowles makes everything very simple. Last year, we were trying to do too much. Trying to put too much in, and we got away from what we used to do, and that was to go out there and play."
Briefly ...
Receiver Terrell Owens said he will have a second surgery on the tip of his right ring finger March 1. Doctors have to reattach the tendon to the bone. ... The Cowboys lost their eighth assistant of the off-season when tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens accepted a position with Arizona. He joins former Cowboys passing game coordinator Todd Haley, who is the Cardinals' offensive coordinator.
Calvin Watkins
