The former Dallas Cowboys head coach, Jason Garrett, may be facing an uncertain future at NBC, but he’s not waiting to find out what’s next to come. As Garrett’s position at NBC continues to be questioned, he’s already started to make a name for himself outside of television broadcasting. Garrett has ventured into the hospitality industry with the opening of his brand-new cafe.

“Helluva night at Caffe Lucca!” Garrett posted on Instagram, “Opening Cocktail Party! Quite a buzz! Loved the vibe! So great to visit with so many new and old friends! Special thanks to the entire @caffeluccadallas Team for all the hard work to make it happen! Chef Enrique and staff did an incredible job with the food! Arancini and the Umami Burger were incredible!!”

With an Instagram post, Jason Garrett announced the opening of his new cafe, Caffe Lucca, located at 4445 Travis Street in Dallas. The spot is an all-day restaurant created in partnership with Julian Barsotti (known for Nonna and Fachini) and former NFL quarterback Babe Laufenberg.

The opening of the cafe drew plenty of support, with strong football names showing up, including Dak Prescott, Sean Lee, Zack Martin, Michael Irvin, and Russell Maryland.

Texas high school football coach Daniel Novakov also visited the cafe with his wife, Sarah Novakov.

She shared her experience on Instagram.

“The most charming new restaurant is now open in Dallas 🍋. Thank you @jasongarrett1717 x @caffeluccadallas for having us ❤️ @coachnovakov.” Sarah wrote on Instagram.

She also posted a video giving a glimpse inside, calling the cafe “open and charming” and hinting that it could become Dallas’ next go-to spot.

Garrett shared more pictures from the Round 3 opening cocktail party at Caffe Lucca, where he got to see familiar faces from the football world, such as Daryl Johnston, Mark Stepnoski, Drew Pearson, Tom Walsh, and many more.

There’s no doubt that Garrett enjoys support from the football world. While this marks a new chapter for him, there’s still a sense of uncertainty surrounding his future at NBC.

Former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett’s NBC future is in doubt

Jason Garrett began his coaching career as the quarterbacks coach for the Miami Dolphins before moving to the Dallas Cowboys as offensive coordinator.

Dallas is where he spent most of his time, taking on several roles, including assistant head coach and offensive coordinator, then interim head coach, and eventually becoming the full-time head coach. He later finished his coaching stint as the offensive coordinator for the New York Giants.

Garrett was named the NFL Coach of the Year in 2016, and his head coaching record over his nine-year tenure with the Cowboys stood at 85-67, and he finished first in the NFC East three times.

After his coaching stint, Garrett began working with NBC Sports in 2022, calling games and acting as a studio analyst on Football Night in America with Maria Taylor, Tony Dungy, and Chris Simms.

However, with Dungy no longer on the show, Garrett’s future with NBC is in doubt, and this is just one example of a trend in sports media, where networks are opting to go with younger talent over older, more traditional coaching figures.

Former coaches have been a significant part of the NFL broadcasts over the years. Legendary names like John Madden, Jon Gruden, and Jimmy Johnson have been associated with various channels like ESPN, NBC, and Fox Sports.

However, the scenario seems to be completely different now. The focus is more on former players who retired recently, rules analysts, and even experts related to fantasy football.

The reason for this drastic change could be that coaches like Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, and Andy Reid are already drawing a salary of $15 to $20 million every year, so TV jobs are not very appealing to them. They would rather stay on the sidelines, while networks lean toward younger former players who bring energy and ratings. Also, not every great coach naturally fits on TV.

That said, there is still no official confirmation about Garrett leaving NBC. While the network makes its decision, Garrett has already taken a big step in a new direction in his career.