Mike McCarthy to stay on as Cowboys head coach: What saved him?

Following the devastating playoff defeat to the Green Bay Packers, it was widely expected that the Dallas Cowboys would make a change within their coaching set-up and that Mike McCarthy would be moved on.

But in a fairly surprising move, McCarthy is being kept on for the 2024, with owner Jerry Jones saying in a statement that he believes the team is “capable of achieving our ultimate goals and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach.”

After the Packers game, Jones said multiple times that he was “floored,” adding that the upset was “beyond my comprehension.” Jones wants to end the Cowboys’ 28-year Super Bowl drought, and yet another promising regular season ended in playoff disappointment. The Cowboys have maintained a 12-5 regular-season record the past three years, but have have lost early in the playoffs once again, having got beat in the divisional round in the 2022 playoffs and the wild-card round in 2021.

So what’s saved McCarthy again this year? There have been a lot of issues around his side since he joined the franchise back in 2020, but 2023 was largely a very successful year for the Cowboys, and while Sunday’s defeat to the Packers was a result of an abomination from quarterback Dak Prescott, it came off the back of what seemed an incredible year too for the player, who became the first Cowboys quarterback to lead the NFL in touchdown passes with 36 this season. 

This was McCarthy’s first season taking over playcalling duties after Kellen Moore held that job for McCarthy’s first three years as head coach in Dallas, and the team generally progressed on the offensive side of the ball. McCarthy has received praise for his playcalling ability from his quarterback, and their relationship feels integral to Dallas’ future chances if they are to find success in this current set-up.

Jones obviously wants to give McCarthy the benefit of doubt given the improvements he’s seen this season, but I’m not sure what the fan base reaction will be to the news. Frustration with a team that is expected to win must be at an all-time high following what could be one of the most embarrassing playoff defeats in franchise history. Fans were and will still be expecting major changes in the offseason after that type of collapse.

That doesn’t seem to be happening with the coaching setup now, and probably won’t come in the form of their quarterback. The biggest change could come in the form of their other coaches, who are getting attention already ahead of next season. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has already been interviewed with the Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans and the Washington Commanders and is being heavily linked with the Seattle Seahawks.

Brian Schottenheimer has impressed in his first year as the offensive coordinator, and while he will probably also be sticking around for 2024, he’ll likely be turning heads for top jobs very soon. But just changing coordinators will not be enough for most people to get excited about.

McCarthy is expected to address the media this week, and it will be interesting to see what he has to say now his short-term future has been confirmed. The only way the Cowboys can prove that anything has changed is with a deep playoff run. We know the offense can look great, and the defense can be improved. So can he push this team further than where he’s taken them so far? Let’s wait and see…