BREAKING NEWS : How Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is approaching his final game

MIKE MCCARTHY EAGLES

ARLINGTON, Texas – These days, Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy possesses a deeper sense of gratitude.

McCarthy’s contract is set to expire following Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Washington Commanders. He’s indicated his desire to continue his coaching career, but owner and general manager Jerry Jones hasn’t revealed his hand.

Throughout a turbulent season that saw the Cowboys suffer a multitude of injuries, fall short of expectations, and ultimately get knocked out of the playoffs with three games to play, McCarthy has done a commendable job at keeping Dallas’ locker room intact. On the same day they were eliminated from playoff contention, the Cowboys rallied for a victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that Jones labeled as one of the top highlights of the season.

With so many questions surrounding his future, McCarthy doesn’t plan to change his approach ahead of Sunday’s finale at AT&T Stadium – a place that holds a special place inside his heart.

“I’ll be honest with you, I go to the stadium much earlier this time in my career than I used to,” McCarthy said. “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.

“I’m definitely aware [it could be my last game as Cowboys head coach]…I’m not thinking about it right now. But yeah, I’m definitely in tune with that.”

How Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is approaching his final game
 

It’s been nearly 15 years since McCarthy, 61, directed the Green Bay Packers to a victory in Super Bowl XLV. When Jones tasked McCarthy with replacing former coach Jason Garrett in 2020, he imagined McCarthy bringing important championship pedigree to a franchise that hasn’t reached the conference title game since 1995.

The Cowboys have won plenty of games during McCarthy’s tenure, although that hasn’t translated to postseason success. Over McCarthy’s five seasons, the Cowboys are 49-34, but just 1-3 in the playoffs.

With one game left, the Cowboys (7-9) are guaranteed their first losing season since 2020 – McCarthy’s first year at the helm. Dallas rattled off three consecutive postseason appearances – along with back-to-back-to-back 12-win campaigns – between 2021-2023. Despite that success, Jones never gifted McCarthy a contract extension ahead of the final year of his deal this season.

It’s been a heavy week for not just McCarthy, but his entire coaching staff, whose contracts are all set to expire at the conclusion of the season.

“It’s going to be stressful, to be honest with you,” special teams coordinator John Fassel said. “When the game ends Sunday night, the first thing everybody is going to be thinking of is, ‘I wonder what’s going to happen tomorrow?’ There will be stress with the coaches. I think we all want to be here, we all get along really good.”

How Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is approaching his final game
 

Jones insisted Friday that the Week 18 outcome between the Cowboys and Commanders will not influence the front office’s decision on McCarthy and Co.

“I feel good about Mike McCarthy, and the main thing is – I like that job that he’s done,“ Jones said this week. ”It’s unfortunate we’re having the year we had, but I feel good about Mike.”

The Cowboys have won four of their last six games but are coming off an embarrassing road loss to the NFC East champion Philadelphia Eagles. And while Jones has repeatedly offered positive sentiments about McCarthy, he’s never committed to him beyond this season.

“We need to finish the race,” McCarthy said. “It’s been a challenging year, based on our contract situation for coaches. It’s stating the obvious, but we’ll have time to talk about that next week.”

McCarthy and his coordinators Fassell, Mike Zimmer and Brian Schottenheimer, have received public endorsements from multiple players over the past month.

“We’re doing the job we love to do. It is what it is,” Zimmer said. “Worrying about it is not going to help anything. So, we just go about our business and move on.”

McCarthy, an 18th-year coaching veteran, notably has received the strong backing of an important trio: franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, top wide receiver CeeDee Lamb and star defensive end Micah Parsons.

How Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is approaching his final game
 

“It’s tough to probably get your job done and do your job with all that hanging over your head,” Prescott said of McCarthy. “But credit to him, credit to his professionalism and really his coach’s style of being able to get guys…ready to play and go out there and take pride in what we finish. Obviously, I’m a promoter of bringing him back.”

Added Lamb: “He’s a player’s coach. We all love him. Everything that he does for the team and as far as leading us, just having the confidence and everything that he’s willing to put on a lot for us, we love every bit of it. So as for Jerry and all those situations, that ain’t got nothing to do with me. Don’t try to put me in it, but we – I love Mike, that’s for sure.”

Said Parsons: “The most important thing is how much love and respect I have for coach McCarthy…[his future] is above my pay grade. Mike McCarthy has always been good to me. He’s always been a good coach. He won me a lot of games here and I’ve had a lot of success with him.”

McCarthy said Friday he hadn’t had any conversations yet with Jones about his future. A league source told Lone Star Live on Saturday evening that McCarthy and Jones still hadn’t started those conversations.

When McCarthy arrives to the Cowboys’ home stadium several hours before Sunday’s kickoff, he plans to go through his typical routine, which is highlighted by him going through his play call sheet and taking a pregame stroll around the turf. His message to the team this week has revolved around “finishing our commitment to one another.”

Said McCarthy: “Everybody is clear on what this game brings and the position everybody is in.”

 

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