Troy Aikman drops strong prediction about Mike McCarthy's future with the Dallas Cowboys beyond 2024

Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman will be in the booth for tonight's showdown between America's Team and the Cincinnati Bengals and he's already giving the fans something to chew on: A prediction on head coach Mike McCarthy.

"As we stand and talk right now, I expect Mike McCarthy to be back in 2025," Aikman told 105.3 The Fan in the hours leading up to the game. 

McCarthy, who is currently on a contract year, is widely considered to be on the hot seat but recently, the tone around his future seems to be shifting, as Jerry Jones has claimed it wouldn't be crazy at all to extend his deal and Dak Prescott recently backed him in an interview with Yahoo!, going as far as suggesting his coach wasn't able to do things on his terms in 2024. 

A notable reason why Aikman thinks the Cowboys will keep McCarthy around is that he argues the team isn't that far removed from being a top contender in the league despite struggling this season and owning a losing record. 

"I just feel that for a team that I really do not think is that far away, I don't believe that you win 12 games in three years straight, that you come into this year and sure, the wheels have fallen off but there are a lot of reasons for that," Aikman said, pointing to the team's team-building this offseason. "I like the way this team is playing right now, even without their franchise quarterback."

Aikman adds that the Cowboys have not quit on their coach, too. To his point, that's been made evident as stars have battled through injury to stay on the field despite low playoff chances and in the last couple of games, players have gone hard on the field. 

"I sense that it's a team that really believes in Mike McCarthy," Aikman added. "I feel the locker room wants him back. I think he's a really good football coach. I believe Jerry Jones thinks he's a really good football coach, too (...) and I think (a coaching change) is the last thing Jerry Jones wants to do." 

Only time will tell if Aikman's hunch is right or wrong. But there's no denying the tone is shifting around McCarthy. The next five games might go a long way in determining whether he sticks around or not.