Who’s the next man up if 2024 is McCarthy’s finale?

It’s probably safe to assume that the only way Mike McCarthy keeps his job next year is a Super Bowl appearance. It might even need to be a Super Bowl win.

And that is assuming that, after five years of this circus, McCarthy declines to come back at all.

Judging by some of the facial expressions we’ve seen already this season during press conferences, he might be tired of the Jerry Jones show.

Could you blame him?

Which leads to a lot of speculation. If this is McCarthy’s grand finale, who will become the 10th Head Coach in the history of the Dallas Cowboys?

The Early Front Runner

Bill Belichick’s name has been coming up a lot as the Cowboys next leader. Some are even calling for McCarthy to get fired now and bring in the mastermind of the Patriots’ dynasty.

He has the resume, along with six Lombardi trophies on his mantle.

He’s also 72 years old.

By comparison, Tom Landry was 74 when he coached his last game with the Cowboys. Landry’s last three seasons all ended with losing records.

The game had clearly passed Landry by.

Belichick’s last two seasons in New England were also losing seasons. The game has clearly passed Belichick by.

So no, Belichick is not the answer.

Bill Parcells was 62 when he took over in Dallas and managed to get three winning seasons out of the four that he spent in Dallas.

But by age 66, he’d had enough and retired.

In other words, no, the next coach of the Cowboys cannot, must not, be another retread. Nor should it be another type favored by Jones.

Just Say No, Man

Jones just loves to surround himself with yes-men, always has, in fact, but it’s only gotten worse as the years have gone by.

More so when it comes to his head coaching selections.

Ever since his statement that “500 coaches could coach the Cowboys” Jones has been looking for just one that could do so with the players he personally picked.

Barry Switzer’s Super Bowl was won with Jimmy Johnson’s players. In fact, the argument could be made that the third Super Bowl was won despite Switzer’s presence on the sideline.

Switzer was the first of the yes men that Jones wants under his thumb.

Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Wade Phillips, Jason Garrett, and Mike McCarthy were all yes men. Even Parcells was one by the time he hit Dallas.

Jones has spent nearly 30 years trying to prove that he was behind the Cowboys success and all he has proven is that he is blind to his own failings.

Which is why the Cowboys continue to fall short.

So no, another retread, yes man, head coach is not what is needed. What is needed will require Jones to do the impossible: Admit he has been dead wrong for nearly three decades.

What Will Cure The Cowboys

More than one comment on social media in recent days has made the same point: As long as Jones is alive, he will own the team. As long as Jones owns the team, he will remain the GM.

Jones just celebrated his 82nd birthday, so unless he’s a vampire, at least we know the nightmare will end sooner or later.

Though it likely means we have a few more seasons of GM Jones to live through.

Because the first thing the Cowboys desperately needs is a General Manager who knows how to build a championship team. Said person knowing when to pull the trigger on free agent signings and trades for higher quality players.

Not someone who enjoys scraping the bottom of the bargain bin.

Someone who can manage the salary cap by not overpaying players who can’t get it done.

Said GM also hiring a head coach and coordinators with new, innovative approaches to the game. Coaches who can adjust on the fly and get the most out of their players on a weekly basis.

This is the way for a sixth Lombardi trophy to call Dallas home.

Miracle On One Cowboys Way

If in fact this season goes off the rails and McCarthy’s run comes to an end, it will be interesting to see what direction Jones decides to go in.

Does he keep repeating the same pattern? The one that hasn’t produced anything but bitter disappointment for closing in on 30 seasons now?

Or, does he finally have an epiphany, and realizes that the Cowboys will never win a Super Bowl until he gets out of the way?

One way or the other, we’ll find out in about three months.