FRISCO, Texas – Sure seemed so simple when the 2024 Dallas Cowboys season came to an end at 7-10 and out of the playoffs, all coinciding with the conclusion of head coach Mike McCarthy's five-year contract.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, during this struggling, injury-riddled season, continued complimenting the job McCarthy was doing holding this team together with duct tape, along with his three straight 12-5 seasons, including the first three consecutive playoff appearances by a Cowboys head coach since way back with Barry Switzer from 1994-96 and Jimmy Johnson from 1991-93.
A mere blip on the historical radar of Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry, who during his NFL record 20 consecutive winning seasons from 1966-85 included postseason streaks of eight seasons from 1966-73 and nine seasons from 1975-83. Again, a different NFL era.
And McCarthy, who had posted a 49-35 regular-season record over the past five seasons and went 1-3 in the playoffs, said he "absolutely" wanted to return to basically finish the job he was hired to do. And that was to improve the franchise's chances of winning in the postseason, to the point of adding a second Super Bowl appearance to the one he had already won during the 2010 season in Green Bay.
But by noon Monday, with the Cowboys exclusive contract negotiating rights with McCarthy terminating at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the two sides parted ways, the negotiations going nowhere on an extension. Jones issued a statement at 2:34 p.m. Monday in part pointing out "it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction" when previously it seemed mutually apparent they would remain together.
What happened?
Well, contract negotiations apparently made this mutually acceptable path too sticky.
Jerry likely wasn't willing to commit guaranteed money over the five-year time period new head coaches have been signing over the past year that certainly McCarthy's agent, Don Yee, was angling for. Also, as pointed out last week when someone asked what in the world could be the negotiating hangup, my response was simple:
Money.
Remember, newly hired Denver head coach Sean Payton was signed to a deal averaging $18 million a year. Newly hired Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was signed to a deal averaging $16 million a year. Heck, Lions head coach Dan Campbell checks in at $11 million.
These head coaching salary rankings had McCarthy's $4 million average ranking tied for 15th. Certainly, he wanted a raise, knowing he lost quarterback Dak Prescott for the year during his only two losing seasons. And remember, as pointed out on Friday, missing a healthy and legit franchise quarterback is the common thread to every losing season the Cowboys have endured since the 1997 season of 6-10 when Troy Aikman started every one of the 16 games.
So average, length and guarantees became the stumbling blocks, overwhelming the initial desires of both sides. Maybe also the Joneses wanted to know if McCarthy would be amenable to returning to being a walk-around head coach with a new offensive coordinator, which perhaps wasn't to Mike's liking.
Here is the other twist: While teams needed to ask for the Cowboys' permission to approach McCarthy for interviews until the Cowboys exclusive negotiating rights would terminate at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, that certainly didn't preclude his agent from doing his homework on other teams' potential interest. Hey, why else do you think the Chicago Bears, casting a huge head-coaching net out there, asked for permission to speak with Mike about their opening?
His side wanted the Cowboys to know McCarthy potentially had options. And don't rule out the Saints being interested, too, McCarthy having worked as the offensive coordinator for general manager Mickey Loomis in New Orleans back in 2000-04.
So here we go, the Cowboys starting the search for the franchise's 10th head coach. And don't believe for an instant any of this has taken Jerry Jones by surprise. We're talking Mr. Negotiator. Think not? Go ask anyone who ever has negotiated business deals with Jones. Surely, the Cowboys have their list of top candidates in their back pocket. Might have done their own backdoor reconnaissance, too.
But remember now, not only do the Cowboys have to hire a head coach, but they also have to replace the guy running the offense, calling the plays that McCarthy has for the past two seasons after deciding he would undertake that responsibility from Kellen Moore, the young offensive coordinator now with the Eagles.
And don't just assume the new head coach has to be the offensive coordinator, too. Maybe Jones just wants a "head coach," not a coordinator who has never been a head coach previously. But then that candidate better know who he can hire to lead the offense, possibly even the defense, and who knows, special teams, too, since the Cowboys assistant coach contracts also are expiring.
The Cowboys now become one of six teams on the head coach search, joining the Bears, Saints, Jets, Raiders and Jaguars. At least the Cowboys have their proven franchise quarterback in Dak Prescott. Chicago is hoping that with the 2024 first pick in the NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, they have theirs. The rest? Well, not so much, and likely the main reason they are searching for the next head guy.
As pointed out on Friday, you can't fake the quarterback position.
So this Cowboys job would be quite desirable, short of a restrictive salary cap. And with all the assistant coach contracts expiring, the new guy could structure his own staff. Don't fool yourself, staffs are an important component. And you can't cherry pick guys. They have to be available.
Once again, the offseason is never "off" around these parts. And with an entirely different meaning, having nothing to do with the impending snap count …
Here we go!
