Wrong. Jimmy Johnson did not have to answer to his OC or DC. He had total power like a dictator. If one of his players didn't perform up to par he will chew them up and and spit them out on the street without have to ask for permission from anyone. Results of that total dictatorship power was 3 superbowls.
Fear drives more people into action than anything else. Why do you hear stories of a mother who lifts a car off the ground to pry her child that stuck under a car into safety? Jimmy's reign was known to all and it drove his players to perform to the best of their ability.
As far as Garrett's chain of command goes, well the results are in and so far Garrett's coaching approach has been abysmal to say the least. He was demoted from playcalling duties and has failed many times to win games in the mist of victory. I can go on and on about is failures but that would be too long for this post. But my point is that Garrett's style of coaching is too cupcake-ish. Same with what Wade was to the team.
It appears that this power thing mentioned above, has become dysfunctional as well as out of tune with the realities of Jimmy Johnson and how the team actually worked. Jimmy Johnson was a functional psychiatrist on a team. He played off the good guy/bad guy, while all the time trying to come out smelling like a rose and all powerful. That is why he came into conflict with players, such as both Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman. Why he was able to substitute, originally, David Shula, as a real offensive coordinator and shift from a '90 Steve Walsh to a Steve Beuerlein challenge in both style and competition to Troy Aikman.
That direction above, might be straight for a folk ballad, but not based upon facts in play, even with that type of stereotyped Jimmy Johnson. Jimmy almost lost both Emmitt and Troy, for the team's benefit in '92. The Cowboys almost lost their chance at a Division crown, before Emmitt rejoined the team...and Troy didn't sign and get in fold with Jimmy, until December. That is when his contract was officially renegotiated.
But it took the release of David Shula, and a last resort tasking for Norv Turner that brought Troy Aikman out of a depression, and set him up in close association with Turner.
As to Jimmy...he gave his assistants as much room as anyone in the business. He rarely directly coached a player during practice. During game week, Jimmy didn't follow a set schedule, and free-lanced...dropping in on assistants individually or in meetings to see what they have in mind for the next game plan. He mostly let his coordinator plan strategy. Occasionally, Jimmy 'vetoed' his coordinator plan strategy by making a 'suggestion.'
But mostly, he allowed coordinators to make X's and O's directly, while he managed the media and big-picture player movements involving cuts or trades.
During games, he allowed Wannstedt to make defensive calls and on offense, Turner to call plays. Occasionally, Jimmy would change a pass play or type of defense being used, but the job usually just fell to his coordinators. At first, it was Jimmy telling his coordinator when to play Beuerlein or Troy Aikman...all a head game. That changed when Jimmy needed to win with Troy, and brought in a former quarterback and a last resort of choice, to give more immediate support of Troy. Turner changed the passing game, around the strength of a physically strong quarterback, who threw a strong football, and who had a very quick release. What he did for the Cowboys, was to simplify decisions for both his receivers and quarterback. Shorten the drop back, and give talented receivers quick developing/shorter routes that gave immediate advantage at a predetermined directional distanced point. As the receiver cut, the advantaged throw was already there for the receiver to take advantage of...and the run was watered, with the movement of a slimmed down Nate Newton to left guard and Erik Williams out to right tackle...but that is besides the point, now.
A leader provides a leader beneath himself, the room to function at his role. No, Jimmy didn't call most of the offense or defense...his Coordinators did. And the player loyalties of those players, were placed in their coordinators then. It took the effect of Wannstedt to keep the whole team on an even keel...so the view of an all power wielding entity really never was on the functional basis, until it came time for personnel movements.
But in '89, Dallas about had the league's very worst defense around. But that changed as will the team evolving from last year...but believe me, it won't be on the principal of legitimation of authority. That is firmly in the hands of Jerry Jones, but the team is in the hands of Jason Garrett, who does delegate, as did Jimmy Johnson himself.