HEADLINES

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Still Undecided On Potential Coaching Change

January 6th, 2025 at 2:07pm CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 6: Jones and McCarthy will meet later today as part of the Cowboys’ end-of-season process, NFL Network’s Jane Slater reports. It is unknown at this point if a formal contract offer will be made at that time, or if Jones will indicate a change is being contemplated. The wait continues for McCarthy and the remainder of his staff.

JANUARY 5: Cowboys brass avoided questions about head coach Mike McCarthy‘s future in the build-up to Week 18, something which is commonplace when changes on the sidelines are considered imminent. Dallas’ season has now ended, but it remains to be seen if McCarthy will be replaced.

After the Cowboys’ loss to the Commanders, owner Jerry Jones spoke to the media. He was asked the latest round of questions about McCarthy, whose contract is set to expire next week. During the year, he has routinely spoken highly of the former Packers Super Bowl winner, and to no surprise that continued on Sunday.

“I don’t know that I am considering making a change is really what I’m trying to say,” Jones replied (via ESPN’s Todd Archer) when speaking about McCarthy’s future. “Mike’s one of the best coaches that I think there is. He was made the coach here because I thought that, and he’s done absolutely nothing to diminish my opinion of him as a coach.”

That falls in line with much of Jones’ sentiment from the past several months. The 2024 season did not go to plan, as the Cowboys dealt with major injuries at a number of key positions en route to a 7-10 finish. McCarthy guided the team to three straight 12-5 campaigns prior to this year’s disappointment, but a lack of playoff success led to doubts he would be retained for this past season. Jones elected not to offer a contract extension, leaving McCarthy in a lame duck situation.

As things currently stand, Dallas is not looking into other candidates, a notable indication McCarthy has a strong chance of receiving a new contract shortly. As Jones noted, though, no timeline is currently in place regarding a final decision on that front. McCarthy and the rest of his staff are on expiring deals, so changes on the sidelines will need to be made soon if Jones elects to move in a different direction and avail himself to the top candidates in the 2025 hiring cycle. McCarthy, meanwhile, made it clear he hopes to remain in place.

“I have a lot invested here. And the Cowboys have a lot invested in me,” the 63-year-old said. “And then there’s a personal side to all these decisions. They all point the right direction… I believe in building programs. I believe in developing young players. So, at the end of day, it is about winning and you have to have those components in place to get this thing where it needs to be. I think we have a very good foundation here.”

McCarthy could be a head coaching candidate for outside suitors in this year’s hiring cycle provided the Cowboys choose not to retain him. The Saints were recently named as a team which could target McCarthy if possible, but for now there is still (at least publicly) a mutual desire for his time with Jones in Dallas to continue next year and beyond.

NFL Trade Rumors: Dallas CowboysMike McCarthy

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