Getty Kellen Moore
As fate would have it, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current FOX commentator Troy Aikman was assigned to the team’s regular-season finale against the Giants.
And during the broadcast, Aikman leaked a bit of unreported news on Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who rebuffed a head-coaching job with his alma mater, Boise State, and agreed to a multi-year contract extension on Saturday — after supposedly agreeing to coach BSU.
This is how the exchange went between FOX play-by-play man Joe Buck and Adam Schefter Aikman:
Buck: “Interesting story about [Moore] potentially going to Boise State, where he was so good; 50-3 as quarterback there. But that fell apart and he has since signed an extension to stay with the Dallas Cowboys. He’s been the offensive coordinator the last two years [under] two different coaches.”
Aikman: “I’ve been hearing, Joe … I don’t know what exactly was reported. I’ve been hearing that he was offered the job and had accepted the job, so I think there was a lot in the story there as far as what has kept him in Dallas.“
Buck & Aikman on Kellen Moore and Boise….
Our update -> t.co/nMsLFgFrZh
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Moore Disliked AD Hire?
One possible rumor as to why Moore might’ve pulled out of the BSU job at the eleventh hour concerns the Broncos’ new athletic director, Jeramiah Dickey, whose hire was announced Saturday, prior to Moore’s extension, coincidentally enough. Moore, so goes the speculation, did not agree with or like the decision to bring aboard Dickey following nearly four years at Baylor.
“We stayed true to the profile we had built in concert with the department and our supporters: Jeramiah Dickey not only matched that profile perfectly, he rose to the top of the candidate pool,” Boise President Dr. Marlene Tromp said of Dickey, via FootballScoop.com. “His blue-collar work ethic, humility, rich past experience, and extraordinary performance make him an excellent fit for advancing Boise State.”
Another, more likely theory: Cowboys owner Jerry Jones outbid the program. And he may also have tacked on an unofficial title to Moore’s resume: head coach-in-waiting, a similar setup to that in 2008 with Jason Garrett. The timing of Moore’s extension — as well as its length and his ensuing statement — suggests the Cowboys have their own long-term plans, and it shouldn’t be discounted that Moore takes over for McCarthy if things go south in 2021.
“I am very excited to remain with the Dallas Cowboys as the offensive coordinator,” he said Saturday night. “I will no longer be pursuing the head coaching job at Boise State. I love Boise State. I will always root for them, and I hope one day to be a part of the program again.
“We are building something special here in Dallas. I am thankful to the Jones family and Mike McCarthy for providing me with the opportunity to coach these special players. I am excited for us to put it all together and finish the job.”
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Follow Zack Kelberman on Twitter: @KelbermanNFL