Mike McCarthy

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Not Interested In Midseason Coaching Change

November 10th, 2024 at 8:18pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Despite a 34-6 loss to the Eagles dropping Dallas to 3-6 on the year, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is not interested in firing head coach Mike McCarthy before the end of the regular season, according to The Athletic’s Jon Machota.

Jones added that he regretted firing Wade Phillips after a 1-7 start to the 2010 season, per Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams, and also referenced moving on from Chan Gailey in 2000 after just two years as head coach, both of which included playoff berths.

Jones’ comments indicate that McCarthy’s job is safe at least through the end of the regular season. He entered 2024 with a .627 winning percentage as Dallas’ head coach, the best in franchise history, but has dropped to fourth place with a .592 winning percentage to date. Additionally, he is 1-3 in the playoffs during his tenure.

Jones even seemed to give McCarthy some cover if the Cowboys struggle during Dak Prescott‘s absence, which could be anywhere from six weeks to the rest of the season depending on a final opinion from a New York specialist.

“Anybody that loses their top quarterback has some adjustments to make and they’re usually adjusting uphill,” said Jones on Sunday, per Clarence Hill Jr. of DLLS.

One of those adjustments could be starting Trey Lance in Week 11, something McCarthy will consider this week, according to Hill. Lance played 15 snaps in Week 10 after Cooper Rush only managed 45 passing yards on 23 attempts. Lance completed four of his six attempts for 21 yards plus an interception to close out Dallas’ blowout loss.

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones ‘Not Considering’ Coaching Change

October 15th, 2024 at 10:55am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 15: During his latest appearance on 105.3 The Fan, Jones conclusively stated (via Jon Machota of The Athletic) he will not be making any coaching moves during the 2024 campaign. Until at least the end of the regular season, McCarthy and Co. will therefore be safe as they use the bye week to try and prepare for a strong end to the year.

OCTOBER 14: Sunday marked the most lopsided home defeat the Cowboys have suffered since Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989. Dallas’ owner and general manager faced a new round of questions about a potential coaching change, but his response was another endorsement of Mike McCarthy.

“Oh, I haven’t even considered that,” Jones said when asked about the possibility of firing McCarthy (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I’m not considering that. Just so you’re clear, I’m not considering that… I’m not going to hypothetical with you about would I consider a coaching change in light of the timing we’re sitting here with. I’m not. At all.”

Dallas’ home success from 2023 came to an end during last year’s wild-card round, and the start of this season has not gone according to plan in that respect. The Cowboys are 3-0 on the road in 2024, but 0-3 at home (with a -66 point differential). Questions have loomed about McCarthy’s status given Jones’ decision not to authorize a new contract – one which was based in large part on that lopsided playoff loss to the Packers – this offseason. Jones’ latest vote of confidence should not come as a surprise, however.

McCarthy helped guide the Cowboys to a 12-5 record each year from 2021-23, a strong run of regular season success. Of course, that has not yet translated into a deep playoff run, leaving plenty of pressure on the former Super Bowl winner’s shoulders to reverse that trend in 2024. A lack of consistency on offense and struggles against the run on defense – both before and after a litany of recent injuries in the front seven – have left the team at .500 entering the bye, a worse situation that what many expected before the year but not enough for Jones to reverse his support of McCarthy.

Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer returned to Dallas this offseason as Dan Quinn‘s replacement. The former Vikings head coach – who is interested in but not anticipating a second head coaching opportunity – represents a logical interim option if McCarthy were to be let go during the middle of the season. Given Jones’ latest remarks on the matter, though, no such move is receiving any thought at this point.

Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Addresses HC Mike McCarthy’s Status

July 26th, 2024 at 12:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Cowboys’ Thursday media availability allowed team officials to provide updates on the contract statuses of players like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Micah Parsons. Head coach Mike McCarthy also faces an uncertain future beyond 2024, however.

McCarthy was retained following Dallas’ wild-card loss to the Packers, but it soon became clear he would not receive an extension. 2024 is thus the final year of his contract, and to little surprise owner Jerry Jones was asked about the decision to set McCarthy up for a lame-duck campaign. When giving a reason why no new deal was offered, Jones simply replied “Green Bay” (h/t Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News).

The Cowboys’ latest postseason exit came about via an underwhelming home loss to McCarthy’s former team. It was not sufficient for the 60-year-old to be let go, but Jones’ remark confirms a rebound will be needed to ensure he remains in place for 2025 and beyond. Dallas has gone 12-5 in each of the past three seasons, all of which have come during McCarthy’s tenure. The former Super Bowl winner will be counted on to deliver a playoff breakthrough in 2024, but Jones praised him when addressing his situation.

“Mike has shown me that I want to have him and he’s qualified and he’s excellent and the players are excellent and he’s shown me that he could be our coach for years to come, Jones said (via Watkins). “He sits next to me in the draft. I really call on him a lot. If you can’t get along with Mike McCarthy, you can’t get along.”

McCarthy admitted earlier this week that his contract status is “a challenge,” and the Cowboys have plenty of work still to do on the contract front over the coming weeks. The team will nevertheless be expected (at least, internally) to replicate the regular season success of the past three years and in doing so set up a potential postseason run. Coming up short will no doubt lead to increased speculation regarding McCarthy’s job status and the potential of Jones allowing his contract to expire similar to Jason Garrett in 2019.

Bill Belichick has been connected to joining the Cowboys or Eagles next offseason if one or both NFC East teams move on from their coaches. Jones repeated his praise of the six-time Super Bowl winner during the press conference, but for the time being attention will be paid to McCarthy’s performance during what could be his final campaign in Dallas.

49ers Extended Offer To Bill Belichick; Cowboys, Eagles Still On Longtime HC’s Radar

July 24th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Sam Robinson

At a few points during the Kyle Shanahan era, the 49ers showed interest in Tom Brady. One of those memorably included John Lynch asking about the then-Patriots quarterback and Bill Belichick quickly dismissing anything of the sort. With Brady now retired, the 49ers did turn their attention to his longtime head coach.

Famously going just 1-for-8 in terms of interviews with HC-needy teams this offseason, Belichick is set to sit out the year. He has booked multiple TV gigs — with the Manningcast and Inside the NFL — but remains interested in returning to the NFL in 2025. This will, however, be Belichick’s first season out of the NFL since 1974. Shanahan attempted to see if he could change that.

The 49ers extended an invitation for Belichick to join their staff in some capacity, giving the 24-year Patriots HC the option of choosing a role. It is unclear if this overture took place before the 49ers decided on Nick Sorensen as their DC, but Belichick undoubtedly could have held a key role with San Francisco’s defense had he sought one.

“I threw it all out to him, like whatever he’d want to do. I was like, would you be interested?” Shanahan said, via The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami (subscription required). “He was very nice and appreciative, but he politely turned me down. He loves football so much that you never know what he would want.”

Belichick did memorably send Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers at the 2017 trade deadline, after having aimed to avoid trading Brady’s then-backup. The 49ers quickly accepted, sending a second-round pick to the Pats for a player who became their starting quarterback through the 2022 season. This mutually respectful relationship may again feature the two coaching against one another, but that will not come in 2024.

Only the Falcons interviewed Belichick for their HC job, though the Commanders spoke with the eight-time Super Bowl winner (two as a DC). The 49ers also had Steve Spagnuolo on their radar for the DC position, but the Chiefs quickly extended their standout defensive play-caller. Belichick, 72, has not held a non-HC or coordinator role in the NFL since 1996, when he served as the Pats’ DBs coach under Bill Parcells. He will still try for another chance at a top job in 2025, and the 49ers will almost definitely not be on his radar.

The NFC East continues to come up here, as ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler said during an appearance on Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard (of the New York Daily News) Belichick would likely want the Eagles‘ job “in the worst way.” NBC Sports Boston’s Tom Curran also pointed to this being a fit, saying the Eagles would be the more likely destination compared to a Cowboys or Giants landing.

Philly and Dallas looked into Belichick this offseason but stuck with their existing HCs. Nick Sirianni may not have been all that close to the hot seat, but the Super Bowl HC hired new offensive and defensive coordinators. After a second-half collapse, Sirianni should not be considered especially safe going into his fourth season in charge. Mike McCarthy is famously on a lame-duck contract, which he admitted Wednesday (via the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore) is “a challenge.”

The Giants also have not featured much patience post-Tom Coughlin, though their HCs in that span have given them little reason to stay the course. Two years after a Coach of the Year season, Brian Daboll has moved toward a hot seat. Belichick reuniting with the Giants would be a fascinating storyline, as he collected his first two rings as Parcells’ DC from 1985-90. But Big Blue may be transitioning at quarterback next year. The Cowboys and Eagles are closer to contention, and Fowler noted earlier this offseason the appeal these two teams — along with the Giants — would have for Belichick.

The 29-year HC veteran is a Howie Roseman fan as well, per Curran. Belichick was ready to cede some personnel control had he landed the Falcons gig. A partnership with the Eagles or Cowboys, where established front office hierarchies are in place, would not feature nearly the level of control Belichick held in New England.

With no NFL HC being hired past age 66, Belichick may only have one more offseason as a realistic candidate. His running ties to NFC East clubs stand to make the 2025 cycle one of the most memorable in modern NFL history.

NFC East Notes: Eagles, CBs, Smith, Giants, Draft, Cowboys, McCarthy

April 25th, 2024 at 2:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Buzz earlier this week pointed to the Eagles making a trade-up effort ahead of Round 1. More is coming out on another potential Philly climb up the first-round board. The Eagles, who have traded up in four of the past five first rounds, are making an aggressive effort to try and move up the board, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Going further here, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano notes the Eagles are “frantically” trying to trade up, listing cornerback as the most likely target. The Eagles hold the No. 22 overall pick.

The Eagles have not chosen a corner in Round 1 since 2002 (Lito Sheppard), but the team has two 30-somethings (Darius Slay, James Bradberry) in place as starters and certainly struggled down the stretch last season. Tackle has come up as a potential Philly target as well, and while this is a good draft to add help here, the team’s trend of ahead-of-the-curve O-line moves will need to be weighed against a more pressing need in coverage.

Here is the latest from the NFC East, moving first to the Giants’ draft approach:

If the Giants want to trade up for a quarterback, they might need to target the Cardinals at No. 4. Barring a big offer, the Patriots are expected to stay at 3 and draft Drake Maye. The North Carolina passer has been mentioned frequently as a Giants trade-up target, potentially putting New York to the test (re: J.J. McCarthy) or leading to the team standing down and selecting a wideout at 6. The Giants should be expected to send the Patriots an offer, according to Vacchiano, but they appear less likely to trade up from No. 6 compared to where they stood a few weeks ago. If the Giants stay at 6, they are viewed as interested in adding a top-flight wideout — likely Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers — though things could get quite interesting if McCarthy remains on the board.
The Cowboys may want someone to target their No. 24 pick in a trade-up maneuver, per the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore, who writes, adding the team does not have 24 first-round grades on players in this class. Dallas has a clear need on its offensive line, not doing much (besides re-signing swing tackle Chuma Edoga) as Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz exited in free agency. Center and either LT or LG are needs, depending on where the Cowboys see Tyler Smith lining up. Impressing at both tackle and guard, Tyler Smith gives the Cowboys options. This is a loaded tackle draft, however, and value may well line up with the Cowboys’ needs.
Staying on the subject of the Cowboys, Mike McCarthy made an interesting move this week. The rare coach set to go into a lame-duck year, McCarthy hired agent Don Yee, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Yee represents the likes of Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh, two of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, and will bring an interesting wrinkle to a Dallas equation involving a coach on a hot seat despite three straight 12-5 seasons.
DeVonta Smith‘s three-year, $75MM Eagles deal includes four void years, which will keep the extension’s cap hits manageable in the near future. Smith is tied to cap numbers of $8.1MM, $7.5MM and $10.7MM over the next three years. Void-year proponents, the Eagles would face a big dead money hit ($35.8MM) if Smith is unsigned by March 2029. For the foreseeable future, however, Philly has the 2021 first-round pick tied to a deal that will not affect its cap sheets too much.

Cowboys Not Expected To Extend HC Mike McCarthy

January 20th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Mike McCarthy will be sticking around Dallas for the 2024 season, but he’ll do so on an expiring deal. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys are not expected to extend McCarthy before the start of the 2024 campaign. The Cowboys head coach is heading into the final year of his contract.

Following another frustrating playoff exit, there were many pundits who speculated that McCarthy would be the scapegoat. Instead, owner Jerry Jones gave his head coach a vote of confidence and definitively stated that McCarthy would be back with the Cowboys in 2024. An extension would have obviously been a much louder affirmation, and while McCarthy will temporarily keep his job, he’ll head into the 2024 season with lame-duck status.

While many head coaches and front offices try to avoid these lame-duck situations, Schefter notes that Jones is thinking differently. The owner believes McCarthy will be “challenged in a different way” with an expiring deal, and he’s hoping the pressure will “bring out the best” in his head coach.

This also isn’t an unprecedented move by the Cowboys organization. Schefter points out that Jones twice had McCarthy’s predecessor, Jason Garrett, coach on the final year of his contract. The first time around, the Cowboys went 12-4 and earned Garrett a new five-year deal. Following the second instance, the Cowboys went 8-8 and Garrett wasn’t re-signed, leading to McCarthy’s hiring.

While McCarthy has made it clear that his contract status won’t be a distraction, sources told Schefter that it could have an impact on the rest of his staff. Since McCarthy’s future in Dallas is uncertain, the head coach may have a tough time filling openings on his staff. Further, some sources questioned how Cowboys players will react to McCarthy’s status if the Cowboys go through a rough stretch in 2024.

The Cowboys have finished with 12 wins in each of the past three seasons, but they only have a single playoff win over that span. The Cowboys haven’t advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs since the last time they won the Super Bowl in 1995.

Cowboys To Retain HC Mike McCarthy For 2024 Season

January 17th, 2024 at 10:55pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cowboys’ impressive 2023 regular season ended unceremoniously in an all too familiar fashion when the team lost at home to the Packers much earlier into the playoffs than expected. Despite many fans and pundits claiming they’ve seen enough of head coach Mike McCarthy in Dallas, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the fourth-year Cowboys coach will return for the 2024 season.

The Cowboys have not advanced past the divisional round of the playoffs since the last time they won the Super Bowl in 1995. Since then, they have seen early exits from the playoffs in 13 seasons, and frustratingly enough, their season has been ended by the Packers in heartbreaking fashion three times in the last nine years.

McCarthy has a long history of coaching winning football as a head coach. Before his time in Dallas, McCarthy spent 13 years as the head coach in Green Bay, amassing a 125-77-2 regular season record. Under McCarthy, the Packers made the playoffs nine times, including eight straight years from 2009-16. While they only won a single Super Bowl in that time, McCarthy still left Green Bay with a winning record in the playoffs (10-8) and advanced to the NFC championship game four times.

After the 28 years of failing to make it to the league’s semifinal game, Dallas invited McCarthy with open arms in 2020. He replaced Jason Garrett, who had been in place with the Cowboys for 10 years, making him the second-longest tenured head coach in Dallas history behind Tom Landry. Garrett went 85-67 during his time and led the team to the playoffs three times, all three times losing in the divisional round, two of those times to the Packers.

Since McCarthy has taken over, the Cowboys have been nothing if not consistent. After a getting-to-know-you introductory season that saw the team go 6-10, Dallas has gone 12-5 in each season since, winning the NFC East in two of those years. Unfortunately, McCarthy’s playoff success from Green Bay hasn’t quite translated. Under McCarthy, the Cowboys have only gone 1-3 in three playoff appearances, twice being the dreaded one-and-done team.

In a statement, team owner/president/general manager/supreme ruler Jerry Jones touted McCarthy’s .627 winning percentage as the Cowboys’ head coach, the highest percentage for a head coach in Dallas’ storied history. Jones claimed that the team will “dedicated (themselves), in partnership with (McCarthy)” to translate his regular season success into postseason victories, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Jones historically has a pretty long fuse with head coaches. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, during Jones’ 35 years of ownership, only two coaches failed to make it through four years on the job. That being said, he didn’t fire Garrett before hiring McCarthy; he simply allowed Garrett’s contract to expire and made the decision not to extend him for more time.

With that in mind, McCarthy is headed into the final year of his contract in Dallas. It wouldn’t be out of Jones’ pattern of behavior to use 2024 as a prove-it year for McCarthy. Jones pronounced his dedication to McCarthy in today’s statement, but an extension within the next year would be a much louder statement. Until we see a new contract for McCarthy or a postseason with multiple wins, McCarthy’s seat in Dallas is going to continue feeling hot.

Latest On Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy, DC Dan Quinn

January 7th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ahead of their regular season finale, the Cowboys have already clinched a playoff spot but there is still a division title up for grabs. The team’s ability to secure the NFC’s No. 2 seed and, of course, their showing in the postseason, could have major implications on the sidelines.

Head coach Mike McCarthy has faced an uncertain future during much of a relatively succesful run in Dallas. The former Super Bowl winner guided the team to consecutive 12-5 seasons over the past two years (a mark which would be replicated again with a win today over the Commanders). However, the franchise’s drought with respect to deep playoff runs has continued.

In spite of that, recent reports (along with an offseason vote of confidence from owner Jerry Jones) have pointed to McCarthy being safe for next year. A strong showing both today and in the first two rounds of the playoffs would certainly help his job security, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Schefter does add, however, that personnel around the league and within the Cowboys’ organization feel McCarthy’s future could be significantly tied to today’s result.

A win over the reeling Commanders would clinch the NFC East for the Cowboys, but a loss would open the door to the Eagles claiming the division title. The latter scenario would see Dallas go on the road in the postseason, something which would be particularly signficant given the drastic difference in performance the team has displayed compared to its home contests. Dallas came up short in Washington during last year’s season finale, and McCarthy and Co. will be aiming to avoid a repeat of that situation.

One year remains on McCarthy’s contract, so an extension this offseason would come as little surprise. The Cowboys have continued to post strong numbers on offense after the departure of OC Kellen Moore and McCarthy taking over play-calling duties on that side of the ball. The team has also been effective in many defensive categories, owing in large part to the job done by third-year defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

The latter has kept himself on the head coaching radar once again this season, as has been the case in the past two years. Quinn withdrew from HC consideration in both cases, but it remains to be seen if that will happen again in the near future. David Moore of the Dallas Morning News notes that Quinn is believed to be “more receptive to the right offer” in the upcoming hiring cycle than those of years past.

The 53-year-old was last a head coach with the Falcons from 2015-20, a stretch which included a Super Bowl appearance. Quinn has rebuilt his value as one of the game’s top defensive minds during his time in Dallas, though, and he will no doubt be a hot commodity if he entertains outside offers. Schefter adds the Cowboys want to keep Quinn, but their ability to do so while also retaining McCarthy would be a key storyline to follow. In any case, plenty will be at stake today and in the immediate future for Dallas’ coaching staff.

Latest On Mike McCarthy’s Job Status

December 28th, 2023 at 7:44pm CST by Ben Levine

There’s been some speculation that Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy’s job status could be tied to his team’s playoff performance. However, barring some unexpected change, it’s sounding like McCarthy will be safe regardless of the postseason. As ESPN’s Dan Graziano passes along, “minds would likely have to be changed” if the Cowboys fire McCarthy following a disappointing playoff showing.

Graziano notes that ownership has been impressed by McCarthy’s ability to right the ship in Dallas, especially from an offensive perspective. He’s also kept his squad “even-keeled all season,” and ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that the coach has “built a lot of goodwill” with the organization.

Of course, Graziano warns that, say, a humiliating first-round loss in Tampa Bay could obviously change things. But even then, the reporter in unconvinced that the organization would move on from their coach.

McCarthy took over for Jason Garrett in 2020. Thanks mostly to instability at quarterback, the Cowboys finished only 6-10 during McCarthy’s first season at the helm. Dallas has fared a whole lot better over the past two-plus seasons, going 12-5 in both 2021 and 2022.

However, the Cowboys have only won a single playoff game between those two campaigns, losing twice to the 49ers. As a result, there was plenty of speculation heading into the season that McCarthy could be the scapegoat following another playoff dud.

The Cowboys are eyeing a similar regular-season performance in 2023, going 10-5 through their first 15 games. This followed an offseason where McCarthy parted ways with offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and took on play-calling duties. McCarthy is heading into lame duck status in 2024, so the Cowboys will have to make an offseason decision on the head coach one way or the other.

For what it’s worth, Jerry Jones unequivocally stated last year that the outcome of the postseason would not influence his decision on the head coach. We’ll see if the owner makes that kind of declaration in 2023.

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy In Line For Extension

December 17th, 2023 at 8:35am CST by Rory Parks

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is under contract through 2024, and it stands to reason that the team would not want him to go into the 2024 campaign as a lame duck. To that end, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says McCarthy is in line for an extension in the offseason.

When asked about the possibility of such an extension at last week’s league meetings, owner Jerry Jones said, “[t]hat’ll have a course that seeks its own time frame. I don’t do anything of that sort until the season is over.”

That hardly sounds like a guarantee that a new deal will be consummated in the coming months, but it is nonetheless difficult to imagine any other outcome. McCarthy bet on himself to a degree by parting ways with former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore this past offseason and taking over play-calling responsibilities, and that decision could not have gone much better for him. Under McCarthy’s watch, quarterback Dak Prescott is enjoying the finest season of his career and is firmly in the MVP discussion — thereby setting himself up for a lucrative extension of his own — and the Cowboys presently rank first in scoring offense, fourth in total offense, and sixth in offensive DVOA.

As Rapoport observes, McCarthy’s job security is always a talking point in Dallas, and merely qualifying for the playoffs has not compelled Jones to retain a head coach in the past. Before last season’s playoffs got underway, however, Jones unequivocally stated that the outcome of the postseason contests would not influence his decision with respect to McCarthy, and while the Cowboys were ousted by the 49ers for the second consecutive year, there were no serious rumblings that McCarthy’s job was in jeopardy.

Last month, Peter King of NBC Sports suggested that Jones — who was long rumored to covet Sean Payton for Dallas’ HC post — might make a run at current Patriots head coach Bill Belichick if Belichick should, as expected, become available in the offseason. King said that in order for Belichick or any other candidate to become a serious consideration for Jones, the Cowboys would have to lose the NFC East, have a questionable showing or two down the stretch of the regular season, and go winless in the playoffs.

Since King’s piece was published, the Cowboys have rattled off four straight victories to bring their current win streak to five and their record to 10-3. That stretch includes a 33-13 thumping of the division-rival Eagles last week, and while Philadelphia (also 10-3) has the easier schedule over the last four games of the season, Dallas currently has momentum on its side.

Over his first three-plus seasons with the Cowboys, McCarthy has compiled a 40-23 regular season record and a 1-2 mark in the playoffs. Of course, he spent the better part of 13 seasons as the Packers’ head coach, capturing a Lombardi Trophy during his tenure in Green Bay.

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