Jerry Jones: Mike McCarthy Extension “Not Crazy At All”

Jerry Jones never fails to make headlines, no matter what is happening with the team. The Dallas Cowboys season has been a disaster so far. It hasn’t just been the play on the field. Injuries have ravaged the team, leading to many of their top players missing time. To make matters worse, Jones began the season saying the team was “all-in.” While they still could make the playoffs, it seems unlikely. Many fans and analysts have assumed head coach Mike McCarthy will be fired at the end of the season. He is in the last year of his contract,t and his results have been underwhelming. However, the billionaire owner isn’t sure a new head coach is a foregone conclusion.

Jerry Jones On Mike McCarthy

The Dallas Cowboys owner had his weekly interview on 105.3 The Fan. There is a lot to talk about with this team. Dak Prescott is injured after a huge contract. Micah Parsons is bashing the team publicly and is also in line for a new deal. However, the most shocking answer came when he was asked about Mike McCarthy.

“I don’t think that’s crazy at all. That’s not crazy. And listen, Mike McCarthy is one outstanding coach… this is a Super Bowl winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there, done that. He’s got great ideas.

“So, bottom line is, in no place, in my body language or anything else, have you seen indications about what we’re going to be doing relative to this staff at the end of this year. And we shouldn’t. We got a lot of football left… six football games, that’s a lifetime.”

Not crazy at all. Jerry Jones has left the door open that Mike McCarthy could be retained. It’s hard to know the validity of the comment. Jones might be saving face right now. If he thought the coach was terrible but still allowed him to coach the team, that would make him look pretty dumb. Fans, however, have been screaming for change ever since the embarrassing loss to the Packers in the playoffs last year. The situation has many layers to it but let’s start with the most important, McCarthy’s coaching record.

McCarthy’s Coaching Record In Dallas

The numbers aren’t abysmal. The former Packers head coach has gone 46-32 during his five years in Dallas. In his first year, he went 6-10 but then followed that up with three straight 12-5 seasons. This year has gotten off to a rocky start, but as Jerry stated, there are still six games to play. Regardless of what happens, Mike McCarthy will have a winning record as the coach of the Dallas Cowboys after this year.

The playoff record is a little concerning. He has only gone 1-3 in the playoffs since coming to the Cowboys. It isn’t just that the Cowboys lose. It is how they lose. Many of their losses, including this year, have come in embarrassing fashion. After defending home field last season, they have struggled at AT&T Stadium. The team seems unprepared at times and cannot win when it matters most.

I also want to point out the Super Bowl Mike McCarthy won that Jerry Jones loves to tout. That was almost 15 years ago and he had a stacked team led by Aaron Rodgers. While he was able to have regular season success, he continually could not win when it mattered most, in the playoffs. Just because a coach won a Super Bowl once doesn’t make them a good head coach now (cough cough Doug Pederson).

Jerry’s Agenda

The Dallas Cowboys will always struggle to find an elite head coach because of Jerry Jones. He wants someone who will let him run the franchise how he sees fit. He wants to make roster decisions. In his radio interviews, he wants to be able to say whatever he wants without a coach getting offended or upset. Imagine Bill Belichick in Dallas. Would he let Jerry do what he wants with the roster and stay silent while he goes on the radio and gives his opinion on the team? Probably not.

As long as Jerry Jones is the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, these shenanigans will continue. If I had to predict, I would say he eventually does move on from McCarthy but the fact he is saying an extension is in play is wild. It likely will depend on the last six games. If McCarthy can rally the team and they sneak into the postseason, Jones might convince himself he’s got the right guy. The Cowboys never disappoint when it comes to having things to talk about.