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Cowboys Jerry Jones Issues Awkward Bill Belichick Statement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Mike Fisher | Last updated Dec 11, 2024 9:25 AM ET

FRISCO - Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones - even after his team's 27-20 gut-punch loss to the Bengals on "Monday Night Football'' - came away from the wreckage praising incumbent coach Mike McCarthy.

And maybe that should be taken as a hint that the lame-duck coach has a chance for a contract extension that could keep McCarthy here in 2025.

"Outstanding,'' is the word Jerry has used time and again regarding McCarthy, this time around even praising him for his "extraordinary attention to detail'' ... an ironic and maybe even contrarian take given that Dallas lost this game on a muffed punt during which confusion (that is, a lack of attention to detail) reigned.

But awkwardly, maybe, while McCarthy is trying to survive in this final year of his deal with Jerry making noises about him being retained, the owner is also praising the guy who is poised - should he wish to - to take McCarthy's job.

"I don't know that I've seen a coach available ... with his stature,'' Jones said of Bill Belichick. "He's got a lot of gas left in his tank. A lot. He's on the game. He's savvy. He knows the personnel all over the league. There's no learning curve there.''

Jones went on in the praise of the Super Bowl-winning legend Belichick, who is presently flirting with the idea of coaching at the University of North Carolina.

Said Jones, with some word salad: "It doesn't surprise me that everything there is out here that has a coach concept associated with that he's not being considered. Bill Belichick could run a major company very effectively. He just has that leadership ability, as well as in this case, no one knows more football or how to execute it and use that to win a ball game than Bill Belichick."

That was meant as an endorsement of Belichick coaching anywhere, including in college. But if Belichick's "stature'' is unmatched and if "no one knows how to win a ball game better than'' Belichick ...

Why is Jerry planting seeds that favor a McCarthy return?

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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