When the Cowboys finally parted ways with their former head coach Jason Garrett after nine seasons, Jerry Jones quickly trusted Mike McCarthy to end their NFC Championship drought and give them postseason success. He’s had five years to do it, and that time is quickly running out, with an NFC Championship nowhere in sight.
Mike McCarthy’s contract situation with the Cowboys
In 2020, McCarthy signed a 5-year contract with the Cowboys to become the head coach of the Green Bay Packers after 13 seasons as coach of the Packers. He led the Packers to nine postseasons, five division titles and two Super Bowls, including one Super Bowl victory. Jerry Jones hoped he could do the same for the Cowboys.
Instead, McCarthy brought a string of regular-season success and a woeful lack of postseason success in those five years. He led the Cowboys to three consecutive 12-win seasons, something only Tom Landry had previously accomplished, and two NFC East titles in the last three seasons, something no other Dallas coach had accomplished. He made the great decision to hire Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, and he has taken full advantage of Dak Prescott’s talent. And yet, He went 1-3 in the postseason, keeping the 29-year drought without a conference title intact.
Just days after the Cowboys were crushed 48-32 by the Packers in the first round of the playoffs against McCarthy’s former team, Jones announced that he would bring McCarthy back for the final year of his 5-year contract – meaning no extension and an expiring contract threatens. Jones believes this will put pressure on McCarthy to do his best and lead the Cowboys to postseason success. He has not prepared him for this success at all… but I digress. Read more here.
McCarthy is entering the final year of his contract without an extension. his performance in the regular season really doesn’t matter. What (if anything) happens in the playoffs could determine his future in Dallas.
