The Dallas Cowboys there is a complete dumpster fire in 2024 and Stephen A. Smith joyfully celebrated their passing. The ESPN pundit has long joked about his distaste for the Cowboys and always makes a scene when they lose, as they did last Sunday after an embarrassing 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

In Monday’s edition of First take Smith broke character and made a serious effort to find a cure for the misfortunes the Cowboys suffer from each year. His project? Tank this season, fire Mike McCarthy to hire Deion Sandersand select Shedur Sanders with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Pretty easy, right?

“I believe the Dallas Cowboys should tank the rest of the season, get the No. 1 overall pick so you can draft Shedur Sanders, and by the way, hire Prime Time Deion Sanders as head coach for the Dallas Cowboys .Cowboys,” Smith told Paul Finebaum and Shannon Sharpe. “I think that should be Jerry Jones’ master plan… Hire Deion Sanders in prime time. You have to tank the season to make sure you can have his son at quarterback. And you move forward that way.”

Certainly an ambitious plan.

Tanking the 2024 season, whether on purpose or by accident, isn’t out of the question even as Week 10 ends. The Cowboys are 3-6 and Dak Prescott is probably done for the year. Sunday’s disaster dashed any hopes that Cooper Rush or Trey Lance were good enough for the team to be competitive. There are still worse teams in the NFL (the Titans are going to be tough to pass for the top pick), but thanks to poor play and numerous injuries, Dallas is in position to land the franchise’s highest pick. has benefited for many years. .

Using that pick on a quarterback after signing Prescott to a $240 million deal in September would be a controversial move. And while Sanders has done a tremendous job with the Colorado Buffaloes this season (and McCarthy faces calls for his job every week), there’s still a significant risk factor in hiring a rookie head coach in the NFL . Even Deion Sanders on prime time.

Of course, no drastic change will happen unless owner Jerry Jones deems it necessary. And if his opinion on the AT&T Stadium curtains are an indicationCowboys fans shouldn’t hold their breath thinking Jones will follow Smith’s drastic plan.