DID GARRETT PRICE HIMSELF OUT OF RAMS’ JOB?

Beginning on Friday afternoon and continuing into Saturday, it appeared that Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett would be the next head coach of the Rams. By Saturday afternoon, Garrett was on a plane back to Texas. And Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo was getting the job. So what happened? What derailed Garrett’s hiring, which seemed imminent when he returned to St. Louis only two days after his “finalist interview” on Wednesday? As the rumor mill goes, it was all about money. The Rams, as we hear it, weren’t going to spend a penny above $11.5 million over four years. That’s an average of $2.875 million per year. And, for Garrett, who reportedly received a contract in the ballpark of $3 million last year when he decided to stay in Dallas, the step up in title wouldn’t have represented much if any of a step up in salary. As we hear it, Garrett’s agent, David Dunn, thought that the Rams would cave, given that Dunn also represents Rams G.M. Billy Devaney. If so, Dunn thought wrong. John Shaw, who has stepped aside from his president role but who handled the negotiations for the next head coach, refused to blink -- and in the end Spagnuolo and agent Bob LaMonte were willing to take the $11.6 million deal.