Mike McCarthy entered this season as the Dallas Cowboys’ handicapping coach. Most expected his stay to be contingent on postseason success.
Then, star quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending injury in the Falcons’ 27-21 loss on Nov. 3. That was in the midst of what became a five-game losing streak, and there were questions about whether McCarthy would do it. was fired during the season by owner Jerry Jones. After all, the chances of making the playoffs get slimmer and slimmer each week and they officially end about four hours before the Cowboys host the Buccaneers on Sunday night.
But, as the NFL reminds us over and over again, expect the unexpected. McCarthy is far from a dead man walking seven weeks later. Despite the season ending, McCarthy continues to make a strong case for a return to the Cowboys following a 26-24 win over the Bucs. This is a team that has won four of their last five games, hopefully they will carry the momentum into 2025.
Jones praised McCarthy in his post-game press conference afterward.
“Mike McCarthy, he’s not going to let them think they’re playing for the Super Bowl out there,” Jones said. “They won’t let them do it. I’m proud of that. I’m proud of the coach.”
But Jones didn’t say McCarthy would return next season.
“To be clear, all I can say is that the work he is doing is good,” said Jones. “I have no thoughts to share about what we do with our days after we finish playing this year. I can’t tell you anything about that.”
That being said, McCarthy will have a say in his future, as he will be hitting the free market. As FOX analyst and Hall of Famer Troy Aikman said a few weeks ago on 105.3 The Fan regarding McCarthy’s return to the Cowboys, “Short of Bill Belichick, I don’t know who you’re going to bring in with a better resume. “
That is also true for other teams that need coaches.
With Belichick headed to college, how do other organizations in the coaching market view McCarthy? The Bears, for example, could be an interesting organization for both sides. For the Bears, a team that hasn’t made the playoffs in four years, McCarthy will bring a record of success. For McCarthy, the Bears have one of the most promising young players in Caleb Williams.
Or maybe the Jets would be interested in McCarthy. That’s an organization that hasn’t won a season since 2010 and could land a Super Bowl-winning coach with a 174-110-2 career record.
Still, the Cowboys seemed to have an inside track on McCarthy’s familiarity with the organization and the program. Given the number of injuries the Cowboys have faced this season, they are still a team many expect to compete with now.
As linebacker Micah Parsons said after the game, “You have to go through things. Everything can’t be sunshine and rainbows. I’m looking to finish this year strong and show these guys that we can win anything.”
McCarthy deserves credit for creating that kind of mentality and culture within the locker room. And, at this point, he appears to be the best option for the Cowboys moving forward.
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