Jason Garrett is on the hot seat, but you know that already. Barring a deep playoff run that includes an appearance in the NFC Championship Game, it's likely his longstanding tenure with the Dallas Cowboys is over heading into 2020. Interestingly enough, however, it appears it was nearly over before preparation for the 2019 season got underway, but the Cowboys couldn't get their top candidate at the time.

Sean Payton, the longtime head coach of the New Orleans Saints, has a relationship with the Cowboys from his time spent with the organization as the team's assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach from 2003 through 2005. His bond with owner Jerry Jones has never tarnished, and Jones reportedly considered moving on from Garrett shortly after the Cowboys were dismissed from the NFC divisional round by the Los Angeles Rams. 

Up to that point, Garrett was close to landing an extension after rallying the troops from a 3-5 start to a 10-6 finish and wild card win over the Seattle Seahawks, but the club abruptly pulled the emergency brake in late January.

It's now been revealed the Cowboys used back channels to reach out to Payton and gauge potential interest in returning to Dallas, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, but Payton instead used the leverage to parlay his way into a five-year extension with the Saints that locks him in through 2024 -- instantly removing himself as a candidate to succeed Garrett. 

Sources with knowledge of the situation confirm to me the accuracy of this report.

Considering they couldn't reel in their whale in Payton in the offseason, they decided to make personnel moves and give Garrett one last shot at proving himself, but he answered the call with a 6-7 record going into Week 15 -- the writing on his wall now being as loudly colored as graffiti on the side of a west Chicago overpass -- before leading the Cowboys to an impressive 44-21 humiliation of the Los Angeles Rams at AT&T Stadium. While the win was much needed for both morale and Garrett's standing, the needle remains unmoved regarding his future, because it remains rooted in making a deep playoff run.

As for Payton, does the whiff in 2018 mean the Cowboys won't again take a crack at him after this season? 

No, it doesn't, but it does mean they'd have to throw Scrooge McDuck's money bin at him to woo him away from the god status he's achieved in New Orleans, and then they'd also have to send massive compensation to Mickey Loomis and the Saints front office to entertain parting ways with Payton. That said, in all likelihood, it's safe to say Payton won't be on the Cowboys sideline in 2020, for whatever reason you'd like to choose here.

There are still plenty of other candidates for the position, with the team having a mutual interest in Urban Meyer, along with their love of Lincoln Riley, Matt Rhule and interest in contacting Chris Petersen to see if he'd be willing to open a dialogue in the offseason. For now, the team is mostly (key word) focused on seeing how this season finishes out, still sitting atop the NFC East and in complete control of their playoff destiny. 

If they falter to end December or at any point in January, Garrett's reign is likely done, but those hoping Payton will swoop in to save the day can now move on. 

The Cowboys did at least try to renew their vows with him, though, for whatever that's worth.