Speculation has been rampant that the Dallas Cowboys will part ways with head coach Mike McCarthy after the season, but team owner Jerry Jones insists no decision has been made about McCarthy’s future.
McCarthy is in the final year of his contract with the Cowboys. During a Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan’s Shan & RJ show, Jones was asked if McCarthy might receive a contract extension at the end of the season. The 82-year-old owner did not rule out the possibility.
“I don’t think that’s crazy at all. That’s not crazy,” Jones said. “Listen, Mike McCarthy’s an outstanding coach. I was listening to the game last night, watching it, and (Troy) Aikman was talking about it and has reiterated that several times. This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there, done that. He’s got great ideas.
“So, bottom line is, in no place in my body language or anything else have you seen indications about what we’re gonna be doing relative to the staff at the end of this year.”
Entering the season as a lame duck, McCarthy’s status signaled that the Cowboys expected improvement before committing to him beyond 2024. While Dallas posted a 12-5 record in each of the past three seasons, the team managed only one playoff victory in that span.
However, the situation has become more complicated. Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury eight games into the season. The Cowboys were struggling before Prescott’s injury, but it could be argued that McCarthy didn’t have a fair chance to lead the team to the playoffs without his starting quarterback.
Despite the setback, the Cowboys secured a surprising 34-26 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday. If the team continues to play with determination, it could indicate that players are still behind McCarthy. That might persuade Jones to give McCarthy another chance. Still, various reports suggest an extension remains unlikely.
