The Dallas Cowboys may have gotten a win this week, their second victory in a row, but that doesn’t mean Mike McCarthy isn’t still one of the coaches on the hot seat. Now the Cowboys enter the Week 14 NFL schedule at 5-7, which is not where team owner Jerry Jones ever wants to be.
Obviously, several key injuries, including Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring surgery, have played a factor. Still, even when their franchise quarterback was in the lineup, the Cowboys were one of the NFL’s biggest underachievers.
This has led to widespread speculation about McCarthy’s job security in Dallas and whether he’ll get to coach the Cowboys for a sixth season in 2025. The unique part about his status is that McCarthy’s already in a contract year, so even if the Cowboys wanted to fire him, they could simply opt to let him play out the rest of the season, knowing they’ll search for an upgrade this offseason.
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Mike McCarthy’s Dallas Cowboys career got out to a rough start, with a 6-10 debut season. Then, the Cowboys coach led three consecutive 12-5 campaigns. But all anyone in Dallas ever wants to talk about is their lack of postseason success. For good reason too, as McCarthy has led the Cowboys to a disappointing 1-3 playoff record since 2020.
Yet, Jerry Jones has spoken glowingly about his head coach, even this season. So, would the Cowboys really move on from McCarthy after one bad year, after three positive ones?
ESPN’s Dan Graziano believes McCarthy’s days in Dallas are numbered, suggesting that the Cowboys “will likely move on” this offseason.
“McCarthy likely will have to make a bit of a playoff run to keep his job. The Cowboys fired Jason Garrett in 2020 because he wasn’t able to get them over the hump of playoff success. McCarthy hasn’t done it, either. And unless something incredibly bizarre happens over the remainder of this season, the Cowboys will likely move on.”
ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Mike McCarthy’s future with Dallas Cowboys
Sitting in 12th place of the NFC, it seems unlikely that Dallas has much of a chance at reaching the postseason, let alone have any success if they magically do land in the playoffs. In other words, McCarthy might have to look for another new job in 2025.
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