Cowboys retaining Mike McCarthy for 2024: Three reasons for and against Jerry Jones’ decision

After roughly 72 hours of collective handwringing by Dallas Cowboys nation over whether or not to retain head coach Mike McCarthy after the second-seeded Cowboys’ 48-32 faceplant on Sunday against the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers, team owner and general manager Jerry Jones made a decision Wednesday night. 

He put out a statement announcing the retention of McCarthy, saying he believes his team is “very close and and capable of achieving our ultimate goals and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach.”

Jones’ decision to keep McCarthy employed as his head coach after his latest playoff exit prior to the conference championship round is certainly a polarizing one as cases for both sides can be made. Here are three reasons for McCarthy’s retention and three reasons why Jones made the wrong decision.

The case for keeping McCarthy around in 2024

1. QB Dak Prescott’s and WR CeeDee Lamb’s growth

The number one talking point for retaining McCarthy is the development of the offense in his first year in Dallas calling the plays. The Cowboys led the league in scoring offense (29.9 points per game), and the biggest reason for that was the 180 degree reversal of quarterback Dak Prescott’s play. 

Prescott bounced back from co-leading the NFL in interceptions (15) in 2022 to becoming the the first quarterback in Cowboys history to lead the NFL outright in passing touchdowns while compiling a career-high 105.9 passer rating in 2023 with McCarthy as the offensive play-caller. That made him the first player in the Super Bowl era — since 1966 — and just the second in league history (along with Hall of Famer Bob Waterfield in 1945-1946) to jump from the NFL’s interception leader to passing touchdown leader in consecutive seasons, according to NFL Media researcher Dante Koplowitz-Fleming.   

The eighth-year Cowboys quarterback earned 2023 Second-Team All-Pro and…

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Author : Garrett Podell

Publish date : 2024-01-18 18:19:47

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