Don’t stick a fork in Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys tenure just yet.
The Dallas head coach has seemingly been on the hot seat all season long, with the heat being turned up to dangerous levels at times. However, owner and general manager Jerry Jones has not shared that belief and even took the opposite approach during a radio spot on Tuesday.
Jones entertained the idea that McCarthy could earn himself an extension, which will likely sound the alarms for fans of America’s team. Here’s what Jones said and whether it should be considered a likely outcome.
Will the Cowboys extend Mike McCarthy?
During an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Jones was addressing the team’s upset win over the Commanders when he was asked if it would be crazy to talk about an extension for McCarthy at the end of the season.
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‘I don’t think that’s crazy at all,’ Jones said. ‘That’s not crazy. Mike McCarthy is one outstanding coach.’
He added that they still have a long way to go in this season, pointing out McCarthy’s past success.
‘This is a Super Bowl winning coach,’ Jones said. ‘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 going to be doing relative to this staff at the end of the year. And we shouldn’t. We’ve got a lot of football left.’
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Jones addressed the coaching staff in this way, considering the nature of the question. Ruling out the possibility of a contract extension could’ve created a bigger fire for the Cowboys to put out.
Leaving the door open is no guarantee that the coach will be back. While this won’t be the last time Jones is asked about the coaching situation, it might buy him a little bit of a break if Dallas strings some wins together.
Granted, spirits are high after a thrilling win over the Commanders. Jones expressed that he prefers wins over tanking, so beating a division rival has likely changed some of the feeling in the building. While the focus now shifts to a Thanksgiving showdown against the Giants, the home struggles will be top of mind.
Jones said earlier in the interview those difficulties at home can be contributed to running into teams at the wrong time, noting how the Saints were much better early in the year. Still, he calls the year disappointing, which might be the more telling answer regarding McCarthy’s potential job security.
Mike McCarthy contract
McCarthy inked a five-year deal with the Cowboys ahead of the 2020 season, which is set to expire at the conclusion of this season. With no extension in place, Dallas’ head coaching job beyond 2024 remains a mystery.