Report: NFL officials watching for Jones to make himself Cowboys coach

NEW YORK (AP) -- Jerry Jones, coach-in-waiting of the Dallas Cowboys?

The idea is not so farfetched to some high-ranking NFL executives and several owners, The New York Times reported Sunday.

An unidentified league executive who has spoken to Jones on the subject told the Times: "It could definitely happen."

"I'm not sure if it will, but don't laugh it off because he has talked about it increasingly the last few months and even the past few weeks," said the executive, who insisted on anonymity. "He probably won't do it, not because he would not be good at it, but because he already has so many different things going on."

The Cowboys' flamboyant owner and president isn't saying it's likely, but he's not saying it's impossible.

"There are just too many coaches who have the experience to get it done better than I could," Jones told The Times.

"But there is something in me that would like to coach. I don't back away from that at all. I don't shy away from that. I consider it sometimes, yes. But first and foremost I want to be successful and not selfish, and the best chance for this organization to win is by having a full-time head coach who is qualified, so that's why I probably won't do it."

Jones did not return telephone messages left at his home Saturday by The Associated Press.

If he were to select himself to succeed Barry Switzer or another future coach, Jones would become the first owner-coach in the National Football League since George Halas of the Chicago Bears, who retired in 1967.

Jones played college football at Arkansas and ended up a co-captain. He has said repeatedly that he would have made a career if coaching if he hadn't become a businessman in the oil and gas industry.

"He believes he can do anything," New York Giants co-owner Bob Tisch said, "and I have learned not to doubt him."