The Dallas Cowboys have officially ended their 2024 season with a loss to the Washington Commanders. With a final record of 7-10, the attention now turns to the future of head coach Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy’s contract is up on January 14, meaning a decision on an extension might be coming soon. Jones spoke to reporters and was naturally asked about the future of McCarthy, along with if a general manager might finally be hired.
According to The Athletic’s Jon Machota, “Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has not made a decision on the future of the team’s head coaching position. When asked about the possibility of other teams wanting to interview Mike McCarthy, Jones said he was fine with that. He said he wants to work with people who want to be here. Jones did make it clear that he will not be giving up his GM title.”
Machota states that Jones has not made up his mind about whether McCarthy will be retained. However, he did state that he would have no issue with other teams reaching out to interview the current head coach.
Though Jones did not come out and outright state that McCarthy would be back, his being fine with the Cowboys coach being interviewed by other teams could speak volumes.
The other interesting tidbit that Jones offers is that he will not give up the general manager position with the team. Many criticized Jones for the way the Cowboys were built, or rather, not built in the 2024 offseason.
Despite having many roster holes, including at running back, the Cowboys stood pay during free agency. They did bring back Ezekiel Elliott, who has since been released.
Another big point is the contracts that were given, and not given to the Cowboys’ biggest players. Jones and the front office extended CeeDee Lamb right before the regular season began. Dak Prescott also received an extension, resetting the quarterback market at $60 million per season.
One glaring issue with contracts is star defensive end Micah Parsons. Parsons has been speaking candidly about returning to the Cowboys, though he is unsure if that will happen.
Jones will need to start getting things moving if McCarthy is not to be retained. There are many candidates out there already like Mike Vrabel, who are interviewing for head coaching positions.
McCarthy might also draw some interviews of his own, should Jones be telling the truth about not caring if he receives offers from other teams. For now, everyone will have to be patient while the Cowboys reveal their plans.
