FRISCO, Texas – With their first losing season since 2020 coming to a close next Sunday, Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has a full slate of decisions to make in an offseason that includes coaches and key players contracts' expiring. And it's been on his mind for quite some time.
"We've got this game ahead of us, but I'll assure you that I have been for weeks thinking about how we go forward after this season." Jones said on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday morning.
Jones was asked a lot about the status of head coach Mike McCarthy, but did not provide any insight into where he was leaning with his decision about his future.
"I don't have any comment this morning other than what you just said, and I think the fan sentiment has shown that Mike's certainly got the kind of coaching background and coaching success that would make him a very qualified coach in the NFL." Jones said.
"What I'm not going to do this morning is to get into any indication one way or the other that I'm not interested in having Mike back, I don't want that to be the case at all."
Despite reports swirling that McCarthy would have several suitors if he decided not to return to Dallas, Jones echoed confidence in the job that McCarthy has done over the course of his five seasons with the Cowboys
"Well, I feel good about Mike McCarthy," Jones said. "The main thing is, I like the job that he's done, it's unfortunate we've had the year that we've had, but I feel good about Mike."
Given McCarthy's long and successful track record as a head coach, including three straight 12-5 seasons the last three years, losing seasons are few and far between on his resume, as he's only had five in his 18 seasons as an NFL head coach. That's allowed Jones to really learn more not just about himself, but about McCarthy as well.
"You learn a lot during adverse times, challenging times, you learn a lot about yourself," Jones said. "But certainly, you learn how it is to work with someone and yes, it's been that kind of year."
One of the things that Jones learned in his time as the owner of the Cowboys was not to make any coaching decision mid-season, as he's talked at length about regretting firing Wade Phillips during the season in 2010. That said, Jones doesn't feel he's ever waited too long to make a decision of that nature either.
"No. Just have not." Jones said.
In this scenario, Jones is also not necessarily in any sort of hurry to make a decision on his coaching staff's future either.
"I'm not under any unusual timeframe, at all." Jones said.
Regardless of where the future goes with the coaching staff, Jones is confident in what the Cowboys will look like as a team going forward, especially when healthy.
"When I look at where we are at our talent level, I feel real good that we've got the nucleus of a team that can compete." Jones said.
Heading into 2025, Jones feels that the fanbase can get excited about what this team looks like with a healthy Dak Prescott back in the fold at quarterback, and their playmakers on defense making an impact as well.
"I think our fans can look forward to the kinds of things that a healthy Prescott, a protected Prescott, with able to have the complimentary football that Mike talks about." Jones said.
"I think we can have that, and I sure think we can have some of those players that we didn't have for the most part this year on defense that will really help us out. And we'll add some new faces as well."
