Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy shares some excitement with owner Jerry Jones amid contract drama
When you win, everything is fine as you go back to the locker room after the game.
But, for Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, every win to end the regular season could mean a contract extension. And a warm hug with owner Jerry Jones has football fans wondering if that’s just around the corner.
McCarthy and Jones were seen hugging after the Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-24, on “Sunday Night Football.”
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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones answers questions with new coach Mike McCarthy during a press conference at the Ford Center for the Star. (Matthew Emmons-USA Today Sports)
There were big smiles as they hugged, but Jones also seemed serious as he spoke to McCarthy, even though the microphones couldn’t pick up what he was saying. By the looks of things, it was one of those good, serious conversations as the Cowboys moved to 7-8 on the year.
Now, the reality of this season is that the Cowboys have been eliminated from playoff contention, which is not something Jones or anyone in the organization expects to see at the end of Week 17.
However, McCarthy has revived the team that was 3-7 after losing to the Houston Texans on November 18.
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Dallas has won four of its last five games, doing so without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, who suffered a hamstring injury against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 3 requiring surgery to repair it, ending his 2024 campaign prematurely.
Jones liked what he saw in his owner’s box a few weeks ago.
“These guys came out and played like they were fighting for a championship to go to the Super Bowl,” Jones said after the win, per Yahoo Sports. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of them and the coaching staff. It shows me something.”
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy watches a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
When he was available to the media, McCarthy talked about the locker room he was in, and how he feels his team is still playing like it’s the last game of the season, even if the playoffs are out of the picture.
“I think that shows who they are,” McCarthy explained. “I think everybody says a coach always talks a lot about the locker room — well, this is what I’m talking about. When I say, ‘A good locker room,’ this is what it means. This is what a great locker room looks like.”
It’s a big change for McCarthy, who seemed like everyone else out the door as the Cowboys edged closer to the top pick rather than the playoff spot. But despite the woes of 2024, McCarthy got the stamp of approval from Prescott and others on a contract extension.
Jones himself even commented on the state of McCarthy’s contract recently, saying around Thanksgiving that he didn’t feel like extending him would be “absolutely crazy.” After all, McCarthy had gone 12-5 over the last three seasons before this one, which is probably more than a year away from .500.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks the sideline during the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at AT&T Stadium. (Photos by Tim Heitman-Imagn)
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There are two more weeks left on McCarthy’s current contract, and if Dallas finishes strong against the two NFC East teams that are likely to play – the Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Commanders – maybe he will continue to lead “America’s Team” in the future.
As the saying goes, end the year on a high note. McCarthy has his ‘Boys playing fair.
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