Mike McCarthy future with Dallas Cowboys in doubt after this season

The Dallas Cowboys are in the middle, nine games played with eight to go, of one of the more frustrating seasons that they have had in quite some time.

Games played these days seem to only exist as opportunities for the opponents to rack up points and experience joy while the Cowboys themselves float in the wind and set historically bad mark after historically bad mark. Put simply this is one of those seasons, we have all lived through them, that you just can’t wait to see end.

When this whole thing does reach its merciful conclusion it would shock no one for Mike McCarthy to not be asked back for the future. It is important to note that while this feels obvious based on everything, there have been no media reports on the matter as this being the case.

Until now.

Mike McCarthy’s future with the Dallas Cowboys after this season is (obviously) in doubt
Five years ago the Cowboys were similarly lifeless across the important parts of their season. Jason Garrett’s hallmark as the team’s head coach was that the team “never quit on him” which finally began to become the case as the wheels truly fell off.

You will recall that Garrett was never fired by the Cowboys. The team’s stance was that they were not renewing his contract, and what’s more is that they literally interviewed candidates while he was still technically holding the post after the 2019 season ended.

Could we be in store for something similar with Mike McCarthy? That specific detail remains unclear. People like ESPN are reporting that it would “surprise” a lot of people to see McCarthy back. Again, not shocking at all, but that it has reached this level of discussion is the next part of the process.

Graziano: The Cowboys are coming to grips with the fact that their 2024 roster wasn’t what they thought it was, and quarterback Dak Prescott being out for the rest of the season because of a hamstring injury brings home the fact they aren’t likely going to the playoffs. So they’re already talking about what to do to fix things. I was in Dallas over the weekend, and there’s a great deal of chatter about who might be coaching the team next year, as Mike McCarthy is not signed for 2025. It would surprise a lot of people to see him back. Jerry Jones has made it clear he won’t change coaches during the season, so McCarthy will at least get to coach out the season.

Back in January, when Jerry Jones first announced that McCarthy would return, we noted that Jones has not fired a head coach at the conclusion of a season since he fired Dave Campo after the 2002 campaign.

Does this mean anything specific? Obviously not. But it does somewhat speak to the idea that the Cowboys do not want to rock the boat as their head coaches in that time have (in order) retired from coaching (Bill Parcells), been fired midseason (Wade Phillips), not had their contract renewed (Jason Garrett) and will likely not have their contract renewed (Mike McCarthy).

Some would say that this behavior represents a patient franchise and that such a disposition is good for a club. That may be fair on some level. But others would offer that this speaks of indifference and an unwillingness to do anything beyond the bare minimum. It is hard to argue against that overall idea with this team right now.

Whatever the case. the writing is now firmly starting to appear on the wall for Mike McCarthy.