Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy responded with a question of his own when quizzed about his future, following owner Jerry Jones’ hint at a potential new contract.
The Cowboys have had a challenging 2024 NFL season, leading to speculation about McCarthy’s role.
Currently, Dallas is third in the AFC East with a 4-7 record, meaning they need near-perfect performance for the rest of the season to reach the playoffs. Their postseason aspirations were further dented by franchise quarterback Dak Prescott’s season-ending injury.
Despite criticism from fans, Jones suggested it wouldn’t be outlandish for McCarthy to remain with the Cowboys beyond this season. “I don’t think that’s crazy at all. That’s not crazy. Listen, Mike McCarthy is an outstanding coach,” Jones stated.
When asked about his future during a press conference on Tuesday, McCarthy humorously asked reporters: “Why are you laughing?
“Crazy? I mean, I really haven’t talked about it all year, so I’m definitely not going to start on a short week and an important division game. But I’m not going to throw away positive vibes either, so keep ’em coming. That’s all good. But, yeah, that’s not something I’m really focused on.”
The Cowboys’ 2024 season flickered with promise last weekend after they took down their divisional adversaries, the Washington Commanders, in a thrilling 34-26 victory characterized by fourth-quarter fireworks.
A staggering 41 points were chalked up in the game’s dying stages, leaving Dallas triumphant.
A potential rise to a 5-7 record beckons as they prepare to face off against the faltering New York Giants, who recently cut ties with their high-priced quarterback, Daniel Jones.
“It’s an excellent team win,” McCarthy exclaimed post-victory over the 7-5 Commanders.
“It’s just great to see our guys rewarded for just staying the course and grinding it out. The messaging has been great. No one’s really blinking with whatever is going on around us. It feels good to win.”
Despite a worrying trend of six consecutive home losses, the match-up with the Giants presents a prime opportunity for the Cowboys to reverse their fortunes. “We just had some out-of-balance games and it’s just good to see that we’ve learned from it,” McCarthy said.
“We’re getting players back like DaRon (Bland) and Micah (Parsons) full speed. We are a growing football team. I think you’re starting to see the benefit of a lot of young players playing early. Hopefully, the fruits of those moments are starting to come into play here.”
