Why didn't the Cowboys fire Mike McCarthy? Jerry Jones explains why Dallas is not making a head coaching change

The Cowboys-Packers wild-card contest hadn't even reached halftime yet, and the Internet already had Mike McCarthy's bags packed.

Given all the rumors about McCarthy's job status and with Dallas down big after the first half, it seemed inevitable that owner Jerry Jones would be dismissing McCarthy from the team shortly after the result went final. 

Not so fast. 

Jones and the Cowboys announced Wednesday that the team is not making a change at the head coaching position. McCarthy will be back for the 2024 NFL season. Despite an ugly end to the season (again), Dallas decided to run it back with the coach that has brought three consecutive 12-5 seasons to the city. 

"I believe this team is very close and capable of achieving our ultimate goals and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach," Jones said in a statement. "There is great benefit to continuing the team's progress under Mike's leadership as our head coach."

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The Sporting News explains why the Cowboys decided to not fire McCarthy:

Why didn't the Cowboys fire Mike McCarthy?

Jones announced Wednesday that the Cowboys would not be making a change at head coach, electing to bring McCarthy back for his fifth season with the team. 

The team owner met with McCarthy on Wednesday after the coach concluded exit interviews with the players. Heading into the playoffs, it was reported that McCarthy's status as head coach would be evaluated based on the team's end-of-season performance. When Jones was asked about McCarthy's job security, he simply said, "We'll see how each game goes in the playoffs."

Based on Dallas' embarrassing loss to Green Bay, it had seemed like a foregone conclusion that McCarthy would be out based on how the season ended. However, Jones is not pinning the loss on the head coach. 

"Our loss on Sunday is shared by everyone here, not just Coach McCarthy," Jones said. "Our players. Our coaches. Our front office. Myself. There is accountability for our results. I am accountable for our results. The lens we use to view and evaluate Coach McCarthy is holistic. While we're all disappointed with the result on Sunday and with our playoff record, I am 100 percent supportive of him as our head coach and ability to reach our goals."

Jones mentioned how the team has "confidence" in McCarthy, who has indeed been at the helm of one of most successful stretches in Cowboys history, by regular season standards, at least. Like his predecessor Jason Garrett, McCarthy's struggles in the postseason can't go unnoticed.

"There are many layers of success that have occurred this season as a result of Mike's approach to leading the team, both with individual players and with our team collectively," Jones said in his statement. "Mike has the highest regular-season winning percentage of any head coach in Cowboys history and we will dedicate ourselves, in partnership with him, to translating that into reaching our postseason goals. Certainly, Mike's career has demonstrated postseason success at a high level, and we have great confidence that can continue."

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While there may not be turnover in the head coaching role, staffing changes could be coming. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has been tied to a number of head coaching jobs, including the Titans, Seahawks, Panthers, Chargers and Commanders. The former Falcons head coach also received interest from other clubs last year before electing to stay in Dallas. 

"We will start our process of review and decision-making regarding everything that impacts our team and roster," Jones said. "And, while we're not going to address specific players and extensions or free agents at this point, it deserves our deepest review and consideration, and it will get it." 

Mike McCarthy contract

McCarthy is entering the final year of his contract with the Cowboys.

When Dallas initially brought the head coach in 2020, he was inked to a five-year deal. The 2024 season is the last season on the deal. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that McCarthy is not expected to receive any sort of extension prior to the 2024 season, so he will coach next campaign on an expiring deal. 

Mike McCarthy record with Cowboys

In his four seasons at the helm of the team, McCarthy has posted a record of 42-25 with Dallas. 

Under McCarthy, the Cowboys have won the NFC East twice, doing so in 2021 and in 2023. After a 6-10 record in his first season with the organization, Dallas has posted a record of 12-5 in each of the last three seasons. 

Mike McCarthy playoff record with Cowboys

McCarthy sports a record of 1-3 in the playoffs with the Cowboys.

After missing the postseason in McCarthy's first year, Dallas made trips to the playoffs the last three years. However, like every other Cowboys coach since 1995, McCarthy has failed to lead the team to a conference championship berth. His lone postseason win came during the 2022 season when the Cowboys defeated the Buccaneers in what ended up being Tom Brady's final NFL game. 

With the loss to the Packers, the Cowboys became the first team in the Super Bowl era to win 12 games in three straight seasons, but not advance to at least a conference title game during that time.