AP: Cowboys pick Jason Garrett as new coach

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Jason Garrett nailed his audition. He gets to remain coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that Garrett will be announced as the new head coach at a news conference at Cowboys Stadium later this afternoon. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the decision.

Team owner Jerry Jones peeled the interim label off Garrett and made him — officially — the eighth head coach in the history of the franchise. He's the first head coach who also played for the Cowboys, as he was a backup to Troy Aikman in the 1990s.

Garrett made the choice easy for Jones by going 5-3 during his half-season in charge. He took over a club that had been 1-7 and was asked to merely make them competitive. He not only compiled a winning record, but his losses were by a total of seven points.