How is Mike McCarthy coping with Jerry Jones, narratives about Dallas Cowboys job?
Mike McCarthy admits that the narratives surrounding his job status and potential replacements are the unusual and uncomfortable parts of the landscape that come with coaching the Dallas Cowboys under team owner Jerry Jones.
He never thought he would not be the coach of the Cowboys in 2022 but, speaking on The Rich Eisen Show on Tuesday, McCarthy said he made a point of talking to Jones about the rumors regarding defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton being looked at as possible replacements for him.
McCarthy takes solace in knowing they are working toward the same goal and he trusts their relationship, even though it has made for some uneasy conversations. But McCarthy is comfortable with his place within the organization and so he is solely focused on winning.
“I have never thought I was not going to be the head coach moving forward,” McCarthy said. “I have been at this long enough, [so] that is all I am focused on. I am the leader of this football team and I am about winning. That is all I ever focused on, and that is all I will focus on.
“Are these narratives unusual? Absolutely. I have never dealt with anything like this,” he said. “Do I wish I didn’t have to come on here and answer questions about it? No doubt about it. I wish we were talking about something else. It is part of our landscape.”
Comes with the job
It’s a landscape that has always come with the territory — the outspoken Jones and how he runs his football team. It’s just something that McCarthy has had to navigate, as the coach would prefer that the owner keep information about player injuries or starting lineups in house as opposed to on the airwaves.
And it’s a landscape that became a bit foggy after the 12-5 Cowboys, winners of the division title, started their offseason much earlier than expected after a shocking home loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the first round of the playoffs last month.
McCarthy said his team did not play their best football at the most important time, and that is what they have to work on next year.
But a frustrated Jones initially declined to endorse McCarthy as coach moving forward under the guise of trying to keep teams away from plucking the highly-acclaimed Quinn from the staff.
Jones muddied the waters even further when he said he would hire Quinn as a future head coach of the Cowboys.
It got to the point that even Quinn came to McCarthy to express his discomfort with the narrative in Dallas and he asked the head coach if he should take another job as a way to remedy the situation. Quinn, a former head coach himself, interviewed with five different teams for their top jobs.
“I said, ‘Dan 10 to 12 years ago, I would said get the hell out of here,’” McCarthy recalled. “But I am about winning and he is about winning. The best thing for the Cowboys is for him to be here. It was his decision. I clearly wanted him to know I wanted him here. It’s in the best interest of us winning.”
The Payton rumor
The Payton narrative emerged when he retired from the Saints shortly after the Cowboys loss to the 49ers. It was fueled by the connection he had with Jones dating back to Payton’s time as an assistant coach on Bill Parcells’ staff.
Payton and the Cowboys have had no discussions about the job. Yet, the rumor persisted to point that it made Payton uncomfortable. He told NBC’s Pro Football Talk that he plans to call McCarthy at some point and reassure him.
“You know what, it’s a good idea,” Payton said. “I consider Mike someone who’s a close friend. Mike’s done it long enough. We both entered the league as head coaches the same year in ‘06. We’re of the same age and we’re of the same background. Look, our paths have been different. I’m his big fan, and I think he’s one of those guys who’s a fantastic coach.”
But this is not about Payton and McCarthy. This is about Jones and McCarthy. And while he wouldn’t divulge the details of the conversation about Payton, McCarthy is said he is satisfied with the partnership he has with the Cowboys.
“I am very comfortable with our relationship and our dialogue,” McCarthy said. “At the end of the day we both want the same thing, and that is to win the championship. The narratives are unusual., but ... you have to trust the relationship and and the connection we have. We are doing everything we possibly can to build a championship team here.”
And if they don’t in 2022, he also knows the narratives around his job will be back next year.
