The Dallas Cowboys tough 2024 campaign is set to come to an end on Sunday in Week 18 when they face off against the Washington Commanders, and it could end up being head coach Mike McCarthy’s final game with the team. Ahead of this contest, McCarthy didn’t hold back when discussing his future with the team.
McCarthy entered the season without a contract in place beyond 2024, indicating that he could be coaching for his job. While injuries have played a big role in their struggles, Dallas will end up missing the postseason, which means they will have failed to meet expectations yet again.
While the team was expected to fall apart after Dak Prescott’s season-ending injury in Week 9, McCarthy has helped guide them to a 4-4 record since then. Whether he gets fired or potentially leaves for another job, McCarthy’s time with Dallas could reach its end on Sunday, which is something he admitted that he is aware of.
“I’ll be honest with you, I go to the stadium much earlier this time in my career than I used to. I won a Super Bowl in that home locker room at AT&T Stadium.”
“So I have a very strong emotional attachment that it hits me every time I walk in there and every time I walk out. So, yeah, I’m definitely aware of it. I’m not thinking about it right now, but, yeah, I’m definitely in tune with that,” McCarthy said at his press conference on Thursday.
Mike McCarthy when asked about Sunday potentially being his last game as Cowboys head coach and if he’ll have to fight the urge to take it all in: “I’ll be honest with you, I go to the stadium much earlier this time in my career than I used to. I won a Super Bowl in that home… pic.twitter.com/OxZDmFB5eR
It’s been impressive to see McCarthy keep the Cowboys motivated, even as their playoff hopes faded down the stretch of the season. Still, they started the year off very slow, and they struggled to generate any sort of momentum even when Prescott was healthy, which makes judging this season very difficult.
Team owner Jerry Jones hasn’t sounded like a guy intent on firing McCarthy in recent weeks, so who knows, maybe this isn’t his final game with the team after all. If it is, though, McCarthy is making sure to take things in beforehand, before he tries to go play spoiler against the Commanders in Week 18.
