The Dallas Cowboys might need a new coach soon since they are probably not going to make it to the playoffs this season. ESPN’s Dan Graziano thinks it would be unexpected if they kept their current coach, Mike McCarthy, whose contract ends in 2024.
McCarthy has been coaching the Cowboys for five years now, and even though they made it to the playoffs three times in a row before this season, it doesn’t look like they will make it this time with a 3-6 record so far.
After coaching the Green Bay Packers for 13 years and achieving a record of 125-77-2 along with a Super Bowl win, Mike McCarthy was hired by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in 2020 to replace Jason Garrett.
The Cowboys had a rough start under McCarthy, going 6-10 in his first season, but they improved significantly in the following three years with 12-5 records each season and two NFC East titles. McCarthy’s offensive skills helped CeeDee Lamb become one of the NFL’s top wide receivers, and quarterback Dak Prescott had his best season in 2023, finishing as the runner-up in the NFL MVP voting.
Despite doing well in the regular season and getting praise, Dallas has struggled in the playoffs under McCarthy, only winning one out of four games. Their worst loss was when they were beaten 48-32 by the Green Bay Packers at home in the NFC Wild Card Round last season, even though they were the No. 2 seed.
Many thought McCarthy would be fired after that defeat, but Jones decided to keep him on as head coach for the 2024 season, which was a bit unexpected. The Cowboys didn’t make many changes to their team besides the draft.
They mostly stuck with the same players and hoped for better outcomes. However, Dallas started the season with a 3-3 record and then lost their last three games to the 49ers, Falcons, and Eagles.
Unfortunately, Prescott got injured and will miss the rest of the season after hurting his hamstring against Atlanta. He needs surgery, so Cooper Rush will be the starting quarterback for the Cowboys.
It was already hard for the team to make it to the playoffs, but without Prescott, it seems unlikely they can improve, especially after losing at home to Philly.
Even if they made it to the playoffs, it might not have been enough to keep McCarthy as the head coach. If Dallas doesn’t make the playoffs, it’s very likely they will be looking for a new coach.
