The Dallas Cowboys can’t find their way to the playoffs, much less advance through the postseason and secure another Lombardi Trophy. They did manage to add some championship experience, though, hiring former Giants tight ends coach Mike Pope on Wednesday.
Although he is recognized as one of the top position coaches in the NFL, Pope was caught up in the sweeping changes made to fix what Giants co-owner John Mara called a “broken’’ offense. Pope was fired, along with another longtime Tom Coughlin assistant, running backs coach Jerald Ingram, following the season, just after offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride opted to retire before he, too, was dismissed. Gilbride was replaced by former Packers quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo.
Pope is the only member of the Giants organization to have his name inscribed on four Lombardi Trophies, as he was an assistant of all four of the franchise’s Super Bowl-winning teams.
After the season, Pope expressed his desire to keep coaching, something he’s done for 31 consecutive years, 23 with the Giants. He initially came to the Giants in 1983 as part of Bill Parcells’ first staff and was so valued within the organization that he remained and worked under Dan Reeves, Jim Fassel and Coughlin. Pope also coached tight ends for the Bengals, Patriots and Redskins.
With the Cowboys, Pope replaces Wes Phillips – son of Wade Phillips – who was hired by the Redskins. Pope has a connection to the Cowboys: Their head coach, Jason Garrett, was the Giants’ backup quarterback from 2000-2003 when Pope was on Fassel’s staff.