From Sidelines to Commentary: Jason Garrett's New Role
Jason Garrett, the former Dallas Cowboys head coach who led the team to three division titles and an impressive 85-67 regular-season record between 2010 and 2019, made a prominent return to the NFL spotlight this Thanksgiving. The three-time Super Bowl champion, who also spent seven seasons as the Cowboys' quarterback, took over the lead color commentator role from veteran Cris Collinsworth for NBC's broadcast of the Baltimore Ravens vs. Cincinnati Bengals showdown.
Garrett was joined in the booth by play-by-play announcer Mike Tirico and sideline reporter Melissa Stark. This was not the first time Garrett has substituted for Collinsworth on a Thanksgiving broadcast, a role change that allowed the seasoned broadcaster to spend the holiday with his family after more than three decades of NFL coverage.
Garrett's Candid Take on Kansas City Chiefs' Struggles
During the broadcast segment, the commentary duo pivoted to analyze the Kansas City Chiefs' recent 31-28 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Tirico set the stage, noting, "I want to pivot to the Kansas City Chiefs because Jason, right now, Kansas City has work to do in the AFC as they fall to 6-6."
Garrett responded with a frank assessment: "They sure do. At different times this year, I thought they were going to come out of the funk. They had some injuries early on, then got their guys back, and went on a little run, but they've had some stumbles here of late. Dallas is playing really well, so that was a tough game for them."
Praising Dak Prescott's Game-Changing Performance
The conversation quickly turned to Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's exceptional performance against the Chiefs. Garrett couldn't contain his admiration for the quarterback's playmaking abilities.
"Yeah, he's off the charts," Garrett exclaimed. "And I absolutely love the guy, and you know, he kind of out-Mahomes-Mahomes today. Some of those plays out of the pocket, spontaneous plays that were the difference in the game." Garrett emphasized how Prescott's daring, off-script plays ultimately turned the game in Dallas's favor, even outshining Patrick Mahomes' efforts.
Despite the Chiefs' recent struggles, Garrett maintained that their playoff hopes remain very much alive. "They're certainly not out of it yet. They're right in the thick of it with five games to play. And if they get into the playoffs, they have a great chance," he noted, while also delivering a sobering reality check. "They got a couple of easy ones down the stretch, and they got some hard ones in the division down the stretch. So, they've really gotta get their act together, and they gotta start winning these close games, which is what they've done forever. They just haven't done it this year."
Tirico concluded the segment by looking ahead to the Chiefs' next challenge against the Houston Texans, noting that "the pressure's going to be on Kansas City" as they fight to keep their playoff aspirations alive.
