Mike McCarthy announced this week that he has a 21-game plan for the Cowboys, which he will spell out in a team meeting before the season begins. That idea may have to come to fulfillment if the coach is to return for a sixth season in Dallas.
The Cowboys did not fire McCarthy following last season’s postseason disaster, a 48-32 home loss to the Packers in the wild card round. They also did not provide him an extension despite his third consecutive 12-win regular season, a first for the team since the 1990s.
The Cowboys’ entire coaching staff and over 30 players, including quarterback Dak Prescott, are in the final year of their contracts. Jones has repeatedly cited the Green Bay loss as the reason he did not renew McCarthy’s contract.
“I admit this, the Green Bay thing,” Jones told Clarence Hill of DLLS. “When we lost the Green Bay game, everyone said, ‘OK, what are you going to do about it?’” Okay, that wasn’t simply a game. What are you planning to do about this? So it drew attention to everything we did.”
McCarthy acknowledged the “challenge” of being a lame-duck coach, but Jones disagrees. Jones believes that the “angst and pressure” of a contract year will bring out the best in all employees.
I’m not sure whether there’s any greater urgency, but I’ve tried to look at where we’re complacent or how we might avoid being complacent,” Jones added. “I’m searching for measures to ensure that they can’t claim that I have a framework that encourages complacency. It could be contracts. It may be a chat. It could be a player decision.
But here’s the general thing I’ve heard from supporters with even more emotion after the Green Bay game, and I’m still hearing from them, ‘You should make some adjustments.’ And I am still hearing it. I did not make many adjustments.
But, in terms of not making changes or completely replacing individuals, I attempted to put the heat on myself and everyone else involved. And I believe that is what is being discussed. I believe it is why the angst was present.”
Andy Reid is the only coach who has won more regular-season games than McCarthy in the last three years, but McCarthy has won two Super Bowls during that span. McCarthy has one postseason win.
Jones described McCarthy as “one of the ones.” “He connects with players, and players connect with him, as well as anyone else I’ve worked with, coach or not, in college or professionally. He has a unique grasp of our professional game. He has undoubtedly been educated and indoctrinated in the NFL.
He has excellent credentials. He’s finished it. I enjoy his game-day management. I’m impressed with his game day management, and he works extremely hard. He’s a Super Bowl-winning coach. “I see why.”
However, as General Manager, Jones did little to improve the roster this offseason. The Cowboys did little in free agency, signing receiver CeeDee Lamb to a long-term contract last week after a lengthy holdout.
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