Mike McCarthy’s tenure as Dallas Cowboys head coach has been a mixed bag.
He will enter his third year at the helm this season, having gone 18-15 during his time in Dallas. While at face value, going from 6-10 to 12-5 seems excellent, there’s more to it than that.
Yes, the win total doubled, but no one is talking about that. Everyone is discussing the Cowboys’ failure to win a playoff game. Even during the season, McCarthy was often criticized for his coaching, especially for Dallas’ high penalty rate.
It’s safe to say his job isn’t 100 percent secure. So, is his hot seat burning?
If the Cowboys don’t return to the playoffs this season, I’m willing to bet a majority of the fanbase will call for his head. Even if Dallas does make it to the playoffs, you may still hear those calls if the Cowboys fail to win a playoff game.
McCarthy certainly has the roster to make a playoff run. He’s got a franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott, two of the best offensive linemen in the league in Zack Martin and Tyron Smith, a promising young wide receiver and cornerback in CeeDee Lamb and Trevon Diggs, a veteran leader on the defensive line in Demarcus Lawrence and a superstar linebacker in Micah Parsons.
In addition, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, one of the league's best assistant coaches, is back. He also has Kellen Moore as an offensive coordinator again, and while he was shaky last season, he’s still great on his best day.
And it’s not like Mike McCarthy can’t win games. He’s one of four coaches in NFL history to make eight straight playoff appearances with one team and won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers in 2010. But, the question is whether he can do that now.
If he doesn’t, McCarthy could be on the unemployment line. Success in Dallas is still measured by championships, despite the 27-year drought of not winning one. To many fans, pundits and analysts, a deep playoff run is required if McCarthy wants to keep his job.
Potential replacements would line up, too. Quinn could easily be promoted to head coach if McCarthy gets canned, and plenty of others would jump at the opportunity as well. Getting the chance to coach the world’s most valuable sports franchise doesn’t come around often.
In my view, he’s been given the tools to succeed. With the talent surrounding him, it’s all on McCarthy. He’s got no excuses this season.
McCarthy is competent but overrated. He had a Hall of Fame QB in Green Bay. He should have won multiple Super Bowls. Stiil, given JJs coaching choices since Jimmy Johnson left, I am grateful for competence. We have had much worse. Frequent coaching changes are disruptive, particularly to quarterbacks.The Cowboys need to focus continue to focus on roster upgrades and cap management. Zeke’s contract is an excellent example of gross cap mismanagement, which has terribly limited the Cowboys ability to obtain/retain more valuable players. This was a huge error that was obvious to most people at the time it was made. McCarthy is not the issue with the Cowboys.
Wouldn’t be the first time a HC was let go after a winning season and a playoff appearance. If it looks like they are barely treading water or even backsliding before another ugly loss in the playoffs, he probably should be gone. There are coaches that scheme and get the best out of their players. There are coaches that bumble along in mediocrity. Then, there are coaches that manage just well enough to give you hope, before falling on their face for one reason or another when it really counts unless some hero comes along to bail them out. Mike is the last one, but he’s still looking for that hero to bail him out. If that hero doesn’t appear this season, he’ll be gone. Jerry doesn’t have the time to fool around and wait if he wants another Super Bowl.
I remember when Landry was the coach who “couldn’t win the big one”. The standard for some Dallas fans is to win 4 Super Bowls in your first 3 years. Otherwise, you’re outta here.
There are probably no more than 3 or 4 head coaches out of 32 who aren’t “on the bubble” every year!
This will be his last season as Cowboys coach.
McCarthy should never have been hired. Kellen Moore is a dumb ass clown that’s in over his head. If he was legit, he’d be a Head Coach somewhere right now. Should’ve taken his ass to Boise State and tried to see if he could have some success in a Division One Program. The combination of McCarthy and Moore is one that’s going to wreck the Cowboys season this year.