Cowboys' decision on HC Mike McCarthy highlights franchise's fatal flaw
Job-seeking head coaches in the NFL can cross off one enticing potential destination.
Despite chatter about his job security following the team's embarrassing playoff exit, the Dallas Cowboys have decided to bring back head coach Mike McCarthy for the 2024 season. Given the circumstances, the decision may surprise some, but it shouldn't, considering owner Jerry Jones is still calling the shots in Arlington.
While the Cowboys have seemingly reached a ceiling under McCarthy, Jones has failed to see the writing on the wall and set his head coach up for more failure and another wasted year of potential for a talented roster.
The Cowboys have shown who they are under McCarthy, an underachieving team that's been ill-prepared when it matters most for three consecutive seasons. However, even after a 48-32 shellacking at home against the underdog Packers, it still wasn't enough for Jones to choose a fresh direction over the status quo.
If ever there was an offseason to shake things up on the sidelines, this was it with Michigan's Jim Harbaugh and future Hall of Famer Bill Belichick looking for a job. On the surface, neither seems like the best match for the Cowboys and Jones' meddling ways. Nevertheless, if the 81-year-old was serious about bringing the franchise its first Lombardi Trophy since 1995, moving on one of those options seemed like a no-brainer.
Instead, McCarthy will return as a bit of a lame duck. He'll enter the final season of his contract with significantly more pressure to succeed and little, if any, wiggle room. Furthermore, he may be without defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is up for several head-coaching positions after helping the Cowboys rank fifth in the NFL in defense.
In Jones' statement confirming McCarthy's return, he cited the head coach's win percentage with the Cowboys and career postseason success as a reason to keep him around.
"I believe this team is very close and capable of achieving our ultimate goals, and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach," Jones said, via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
While McCarthy may ultimately prove the doubters wrong, recent history already says he won't. Everything Jones touts about McCarthy are empty or irrelevant accomplishments. His winning percentage as Cowboys HC means little alongside his 1-3 playoff mark with the team. Meanwhile, his Super Bowl victory is far in the rearview, much like the Cowboys' most recent championship.
If McCarthy fails to succeed in season five with the Cowboys, he'll be the scapegoat for the team's downfall. However, the real blame should go to the man making the wrong decisions for the better part of the last three decades.
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