Mike McCarthy has officially put Sean Payton-to-Dallas Cowboys speculation in the trash
Mike McCarthy is positioned to become the first Dallas Cowboys head coach to lead the team to back-to-back playoff appearances since a Hall of Fame coach did so.
The last man to do this was Mr. Chan Gailey, who is in the Americus-Sumter County High School Athletic Hall of Fame, along with former Dallas Cowboys running back Dan Reeves.
Not exactly the most encouraging milestone, but no Cowboys coach can make this claim since Chan.
Not worthy of a banner, either, but considering it’s the Dallas Cowboys expect a commemorative T-shirt, cap and mug to be available at the team store.
Chan led the Cowboys to the playoffs in 1998 and ‘99; the only other time the Cowboys have made the playoffs in consecutive seasons since then was 2006 in 2007, the first under Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Parcells, and the second by Wade Phillips, who is in the Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
Short of winning back-to-back Super Bowls this season, there isn’t much McCarthy can do to convince anyone he’s a decent coach.
It’s readily apparent he’s perfectly OK with whatever you, or anyone, thinks. This includes his boss.
The Cowboys defeated the Chicago Bears, who dressed like traffic cones for Halloween, 49-29 on Sunday afternoon at AT&T Stadium.
Thus far in 2022, the Cowboys finished 4-1 without starting quarterback Dak Prescott during his time on the sidelines because of a bum thumb.
On Sunday, they were without starting running back Ezekiel Elliott, who is out with a sprained right knee. Backup running back Tony Pollard, who is talented enough to start, ran for 131 yards with three touchdowns.
“We call it and he’s going to haul it,” Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott said after the game. “He’s talented as hell. He’s not just another back for us. He’s a weapon.”
The Cowboys are a flawed team, but they are also a team that is 6-2.
“You have to keep things in perspective; that’s something we really always have to do for one another,” McCarthy said.
They are are in a great spot under a head coach who no longer has to fear the shadow of Sean Payton.
Thanks to a certain Pro Football Hall of Fame owner, that shadow was real. It’s also now a faded spec.
The potential availability of the former New Orleans Saints coach could have made life harder for McCarthy, who is in his third year of a five-year contract. You will notice you likely have not heard much about Sean Payton these days.
He may return to coaching, but don’t expect it to be with the Dallas Cowboys anytime soon.
Considering McCarthy is coming off a 12-win season and an NFC East title, he should never have had to deal with this sort of narrative.
These narratives, however, are often a part of the reality when you’re the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys under Jerry Jones.
There are a few unwritten job descriptions that every coach from Jimmy Johnson to McCarthy learns come with being the head coach of the Cowboys.
By now, McCarthy is aware of these additional realities. It’s not as if he’s going to change this one.
He’s also secure who he is as a person, and as a head coach.
He has more money in the bank than he can ever count, and he is in his 16th season as an NFL head coach who has won a Super Bowl.
Most coaches don’t make it six seasons, let alone an additional 10. Most coaches never win a Super Bowl.
McCarthy will be ultimately be judged this year on whether the Cowboys can win two playoff games in the same season for the first time since the 1995 season.
Even if they don’t, barring a total collapse, the Cowboys will return to the playoffs, and McCarthy will return in 2023.
This story was originally published October 30, 2022 at 4:15 PM.
