Cowboys' Mike McCarthy, Jerry Jones 'addressed' Sean Payton speculation

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy raised eyebrows when he announced Tuesday that starting quarterback Dak Prescott had surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder last week. McCarthy also spent some time touching upon the figurative elephant in the room. 

Almost immediately after Sean Payton stepped down as head coach of the New Orleans Saints in January, more than a few individuals linked him with a potential move to the Cowboys, who had recently completed a one-and-done playoff journey under McCarthy. Dallas employed Payton for three seasons before he became New Orleans coach in 2006, but Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said in late January he hadn't "talked to Sean" since his decision. 

During his Tuesday comments, McCarthy confirmed he and Jones had a discussion about the Payton rumors. 

"It’s a narrative I don’t want to be a part of," McCarthy admitted, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "I don’t think anybody would want to be a part of it on either side of the fence. In fairness to Sean, he’s being asked the questions, but nothing good comes out of that. Our conversations [between McCarthy and Jones], when we talk about the partnership between the head coach and the G.M., those are the conversations him and I have. . . . He addressed it. We laughed about it, and moved on. That’s really where it is."

Monday's story that the Miami Dolphins allegedly wanted both Payton and quarterback Tom Brady following the 2021 campaign served as another reminder the 58-year-old one-time Super Bowl champion coach will likely be targeted by other clubs even though the Saints still possess his contract rights through 2024. That wouldn't necessarily prevent Jones from trading for Payton if he were to decide to move on from McCarthy roughly 10-11 months from now.