John Garrett returned to the NFL in February of 2007 after a three-year collegiate coaching stint at the University of Virginia under head coach Al Groh. While helping to continue the dramatic production of perennial Pro Bowl tight end Jason Witten in Dallas, Garrett also nurtured the depth and talent at the Cowboys tight end position into a unit that is one of the NFL's most productive and complete.

Garrett's continued work with Witten in 2008 allowed the tight end to once again lead the team in receptions (81) and finish second in receiving yards (952). While celebrating yet another productive season, Witten earned his fifth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl to tie Jay Novacek for the most trips to the all-star game by a Dallas tight end. Garrett was also charged with working Dallas' second round draft pick Martellus Bennett into the mix. Bennett showed flashes of his potential as a pass catcher, finishing with 20 catches for 283 yards and four touchdowns. Bennett had a streak of three consecutive games with a receiving score to become just the third rookie in club history to have a touchdown catch in three consecutive games joining Bob Hayes (11/7/65-11/21/65 and 12/5/65-12/19/65) and Antonio Bryant (10/6/02-10/20/02).

The trio of Witten, Anthony Fasano and Tony Curtis combined to form one of the most solid position groups on the Dallas roster in 2007 with each player making key individual contributions throughout the course of the season. While earning a trip to his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl in 2007, Witten finished the year second among all NFL tight ends (first in the NFC) in both receptions (96) and receiving yardage (1,145). Both totals represented club records for a Dallas tight end in a single season, and his reception total was the second-highest by any Dallas player, at any position, in team history. Among players at all positions in 2007, Witten was 10th in the NFL in receptions and seventh in receiving yardage. The 2007 season marked Witten's first career 1,000-yard receiving year and the first ever by a Dallas tight end. His career-high 15 receptions at Detroit also established a club record for catches in a game - while tying Kellen Winslow's NFL single game mark for tight ends.

Fasano continued his development as a formidable blocker in the running game and a solid compliment to Witten in the two tight end set. He finished his second NFL season ranked seventh on the club in receptions with 14 catches for 143 yards. Curtis also carved out a productive role in the short yardage offense and registered three receptions on the year - all of which resulted in Dallas touchdowns.

Garrett served as the Virginia wide receivers coach in all three of his seasons with the Cavaliers, and in 2006, he was handed the additional responsibilities of being Groh's assistant head coach. Prior to entering the collegiate ranks in 2004, Garrett had spent the previous 12 years in professional football, working both on the coaching and player personnel sides for three different NFL clubs.

In 2003, he was a scout for the Cincinnati Bengals after spending the previous two seasons (2001-2002) as a Bengals offensive assistant coach, working mostly with the tight ends.

In 1999 and 2000, Garrett was the quarterbacks coach in Arizona and was charged with the responsibility of guiding the development of Cardinals quarterback Jake Plummer. Plummer passed for over 5,000 yards in his two years under Garrett, and, by the end of the 2000 season, he became the fastest Cardinal quarterback to reach the 10,000 career passing yard milestone in club history.

Garrett's first tour of duty in Cincinnati was spent exclusively as a member of the Bengals coaching staff from 1995 to 1998. He was the club's wide receivers coach in 1996 and was an offensive assistant who worked regularly with the receivers during the other three seasons.

Garrett's post-playing football career began as a pro personnel assistant for Sam Wyche's Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1992 to 1994. In addition to his personnel duties with the Bucs, Garrett prepared for his coaching career by providing on-field coaching assistance with the receivers during the week while assisting the defensive staff in the press box on game days.

After an outstanding Ivy League career as a wide receiver at both Columbia and Princeton, Garrett earned a degree in history from Princeton in 1988. He spent time in the Dallas Cowboys training camp in 1988, before earning a roster spot with the Bengals in 1989. He spent seven weeks on the Buffalo Bills practice squad in 1991 after becoming one of the leading receivers for the San Antonio Riders of the World League of American Football the previous spring.

Garrett is a product of a football family that has enjoyed a long association with the National Football League. His father, Jim, spent 38 years as either a scout or assistant coach in the NFL, and 21 of those years were as a member of the Dallas Cowboys scouting staff. Garrett's brother Jason enjoyed an 11-year career as a back-up quarterback in the NFL including the 1993-99 seasons with the Cowboys and is now the assistant head coach/offensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys. His brother Judd was a practice squad player for the Cowboys 1993 Super Bowl Championship club, and is now part of the Cowboys scouting department as the assistant director of pro scouting.

Born on March 2, 1965, in Danville, Pennsylvania, Garrett graduated from the University School in Cleveland, Ohio in 1983. He and his wife Honor have four children - son John Morgan (5/20/95) and daughters Honor (9/13/96), Olivia (10/23/98) and Caroline (9/7/01).