Cowboys’ Jerry Jones Praises Mike McCarthy amid Hot-Seat Rumors Entering NFL Playoffs

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 9, 2024

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Ahead of the NFL playoffs, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones maintained he “couldn’t be more pleased” with the performance of head coach Mike McCarthy.

“I really mean it,” Jones said Tuesday on 105.3 The Fan’s Shan & RJ (via Jon Machota of The Athletic). “He has really made as big a difference from his head coaching vantage point as anybody could from any vantage point in the NFL.

“He’s the big difference this year.”

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday there’s a sense that McCarthy “will be measured by how Dallas’ final game goes” when it comes to his status for 2024. Jones seemed to corroborate that idea after Dallas’ 38-10 win over the Washington Commanders to close out the regular season:

Clarence Hill Jr @clarencehilljrWhen asked directly about Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys future, owner Jerry Jones said “we’ll see how each game goes” in the playoffs.

The Cowboys earned a 12-5 record and reached the postseason for the third straight year, a level of consistency that contrasts a bit with what McCarthy’s predecessor delivered. Dallas had more .500 finishes (four) than playoff trips (three) in Jason Garrett’s nine full seasons at the helm.

That McCarthy is nonetheless perceived to be on the hot seat speaks to what appears to be Jones’ increased desperation to lift at least one more Super Bowl title. The 81-year-old may no longer exercise the same kind of patience he afforded to Garrett.

If the Cowboys yet again fall flat in the playoffs, Jones wouldn’t be wrong to seriously contemplate a coaching change, either. At a certain point, it goes beyond coincidence how Dallas looks like a Super Bowl contender early on but gets exposed as a pretender when it really matters.

It’s not often somebody with two division titles in three years is coaching for his job in the postseason, but the Cowboys aren’t a typical franchise. While fans could argue the organization has an inflated sense of self since its last championship was in 1995, being one of the most recognizable sports brands in the world naturally brings increased expectations.

Jones offered a strong endorsement of McCarthy on Tuesday. His postgame comments Sunday night be more telling as to his mindset, though.