Mike McCarthy entered this season as a lame-duck coach for the Dallas Cowboys. Most anticipated his keep would rely upon postseason success.
Then, star quarterback Dak Prescott sustained a season-ending hamstring damage in a 27-21 loss to the Falcons on Nov. 3. That was within the midst of what grew to become a five-game dropping streak, and there have been questions on whether or not McCarthy can be a midseason firing by proprietor Jerry Jones. In any case, the playoff possibilities grew to become slimmer and slimmer every week and formally got here to an finish about 4 hours earlier than the Cowboys hosted the Buccaneers on Sunday night time.
However, because the NFL reminds us repeatedly, anticipate the sudden. McCarthy is way from a lifeless man strolling seven weeks later. Regardless of the postseason possibilities coming to an finish, McCarthy continues to make a powerful case to return to the Cowboys following a 26-24 victory over the Bucs. This can be a group that has now gained 4 of its final 5 video games with hope the momentum carries into 2025.
Jones praised McCarthy in his postgame information convention afterward.
“Mike McCarthy, he simply gained’t allow them to not assume they’re taking part in for a Tremendous Bowl on the market,” Jones mentioned. “He gained’t allow them to do it. Happy with that. Happy with the coach.”
However Jones stopped wanting saying McCarthy is returning subsequent season.
“Simply so we’re clear, all I can say is what good of a job he’s doing,” Jones mentioned. “I don’t have ideas that I might share as to something about what we do with our days after we’re by means of taking part in this 12 months. I don’t have something I might share about that.”
With that being mentioned, McCarthy may have a say in his personal future, on condition that he’ll be hitting the free agent market too. As FOX analyst and Corridor of Famer Troy Aikman mentioned a number of weeks in the past on 105.3 The Fan about McCarthy returning to the Cowboys, “Wanting Invoice Belichick, I don’t know who you’re going to herald that has a greater resume.”
That rings true for different coach-needy groups too.
With Belichick headed to the school ranks, how do different organizations within the teaching market view McCarthy? The Bears, for example, might be an intriguing group for each side. For the Bears, a group that hasn’t made the playoffs in 4 years, McCarthy would carry a observe report of success. For McCarthy, the Bears have one of many promising younger quarterbacks in Caleb Williams.
Or perhaps the Jets might be thinking about McCarthy. That is a company that hasn’t made the postseason since 2010 and will herald a Tremendous Bowl-winning coach who has a profession report of 174-110-2.
Nonetheless, the Cowboys would seemingly have the within observe with McCarthy’s familiarity with the group and roster. Given the variety of accidents the Cowboys confronted this season, it stays a group that many anticipate can contend now.
As linebacker Micah Parsons mentioned after the sport, “You might want to undergo issues. Every thing can’t be sunshine and rainbows. I’m seeking to end this 12 months sturdy and show to those guys that we are able to recover from something.”
McCarthy deserves credit score for constructing that kind of mindset and tradition throughout the locker room. And, at this level, he looks as if the most suitable choice for the Cowboys transferring ahead.