FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys stand firm in their commitment to quarterback Dak Prescott, who is advocating for the return of head coach Mike McCarthy. Prominent players such as receiver CeeDee Lamb and edge rusher Micah Parsons share this sentiment.
Team owner Jerry Jones, however, has been less decisive about McCarthy’s future, as the coach’s contract is about to expire after finishing his fifth season. Discussions regarding McCarthy’s role are expected to take place later this week. Jones addressed reporters for over 45 minutes following the Cowboys’ disappointing 7-10 season, marked by a last-minute defeat against Washington, a playoff-bound team. While he praised McCarthy as one of the premier coaches in the league, he did not confirm that the coach would continue with the franchise.
“I’m not trying in any way to play a guessing game here with anybody,” Jones stated. “We’ve got work ahead, and we need to make some changes, and we are capable of doing that.”
The Cowboys haven’t won a Super Bowl in nearly three decades, last securing one in the 1995 season. Despite three consecutive 12-5 regular season records under McCarthy, the team has failed to advance past the divisional round of the NFC playoffs. Prescott, who signed a substantial four-year, $240 million deal before the season, experienced a setback by missing nine games due to a torn hamstring. Other key players, like perennial All-Pro guard Zack Martin, cornerback Trevon Diggs, and defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence, also concluded the season on injured reserve.
The primary question now is whether the Cowboys can return to their competitive form from the prior three seasons, particularly in a year riddled with injuries to star players. “This is the lowest we’ve been, and given another chance, we can turn this around as a playoff-contending team,” Parsons emphasized. He noted the valuable lessons learned through adversity and expressed newfound determination to approach the season collectively.
If McCarthy doesn’t remain in Dallas, he surely has other opportunities available, yet he affirmed his vested interest in the Cowboys’ future. With a record of 49-35 with Dallas and an overall career mark of 174-112-2 across 18 seasons—including a Super Bowl victory with Green Bay—he feels positioned to advance with the organization.
“I’ll be clear. I’m a winner. I’ve won a championship in this venue,” McCarthy mentioned following the narrow loss to the Commanders. The game ended with a dramatic touchdown in the dying seconds.
As for Parsons, he is on the verge of securing a significant new contract, likely the next in line after the major deals for Prescott and Lamb. Lamb’s $136 million, four-year deal came after a lengthy holdout just prior to the final year of his rookie contract. Heading into the last season of his rookie contract, Parsons has expressed a desire to finalize a new deal promptly, although he does not plan to stage a holdout.
In a season shortened by an ankle injury that sidelined him for four games, Parsons still managed to achieve 12 sacks, including two in the season finale.
On another note, kicker Brandon Aubrey capped off his impressive season by making four field goals in the last game, establishing a franchise record of 40 for the year. Aubrey is now among only five kickers in NFL history to hit 40 field goals in a single season, trailing only behind David Akers’ record of 44 set in 2011. While none of Aubrey’s kicks on Sunday were from beyond 50 yards, he set an NFL record with 14 field goals from that range this season. After kicking 36 field goals in his rookie year, he remains the only kicker in the league to have at least 35 makes in each of his first two campaigns.
McCarthy isn’t the sole coach facing contract uncertainty, as his assistant coaching staff is also signed only through the current season. This includes offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, and special teams coordinator John Fassel.
The priority for the Cowboys moving forward hinges on resolving McCarthy’s future before they can effectively navigate the offseason. Following this, efforts will focus on rehabilitating injured players such as Prescott, Martin, and Diggs. Martin, a seven-time All-Pro who underwent season-ending ankle surgery, will likely need to decide whether to continue his career in the NFL, which could significantly influence the team’s offensive line dynamics.
