The Dallas Cowboys find themselves in a difficult situation this season, with a disappointing 3-8 record through their first 11 games, effectively eliminating them from playoff contention. With the likelihood of missing the playoffs, many have speculated that the Cowboys are already shifting their focus to the 2025 NFL Draft, a crucial part of their long-term rebuilding and strengthening strategy. However, despite the struggles this season, Dallas still expects to return to playoff contention in the near future, particularly with the return of key players, including quarterback Dak Prescott, who is expected to be back at full strength after recovering from injury.
Amidst the team’s underperformance, an unexpected twist has emerged regarding the future of head coach Mike McCarthy. Despite the Cowboys’ current struggles, owner Jerry Jones has publicly stated that he isn’t ruling out offering McCarthy a contract extension. This is quite surprising, given the team’s disappointing 4-7 record in 2024 and the mounting criticism of McCarthy’s ability to get the most out of the roster. Many fans had hoped for a change at the top before the 2025 season, given McCarthy’s inability to secure a deep playoff run during his tenure with the Cowboys. However, Jones has defended McCarthy by pointing to his Super Bowl-winning pedigree and vast coaching experience, insisting that there’s still a lot of football left to be played this season, which suggests that the owner sees value in keeping McCarthy around for the time being.
McCarthy, who took over as the Cowboys’ head coach in 2020, has overseen three consecutive 12-win seasons and playoff appearances, which are impressive milestones. However, his tenure has also been marred by a single playoff victory, leading many to question whether he is the right leader to take the Cowboys to the next level. Despite a solid regular season record, McCarthy’s playoff shortcomings have left fans and analysts alike wondering if a coaching change might be in order. With the Cowboys on track for a subpar season in 2024, there’s a growing sentiment that McCarthy’s position may be in jeopardy.
The Dallas Cowboys almost certainly have their sights set on the 2025 NFL Draft at this point in the season. Sitting at 3-8 through their first 11 games has Dallas all but eliminated from playoff contention already. Of course, Dallas will expect to be right back in the playoff mix next season when Dak Prescott (among others) returns from injury.
While McCarthy is coming off three straight 12-win seasons and three straight playoff appearances, many fans are expecting a change at the head coaching position before 2025.
McCarthy has only missed the playoffs once as the head coach of the Cowboys, yet he has only managed to amass one playoff victory. McCarthy’s Cowboys are now sitting at 4-7 with just two NFC teams posting inferior records, which does not bode well for a fourth-straight playoff appearance.
Despite a season that nobody saw going this poorly, Jones took to the media to express a potential desire to extend McCarthy. Jones pointed to his past as a Super Bowl-winning head coach.
Here is a look at McCarthy’s full NFL coaching record:
| Simple Rating System | Playoffs | Challenges | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Lg | G | W | L | T | SRS | OSRS | DSRS | G plyf | W plyf | L plyf | Rank | Num | Won | Notes | ||
| 2006 | 43 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | -4.4 | -2.3 | -2.1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | |||||
| 2007 | 44 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 13 | 3 | 0 | .813 | 9.0 | 5.7 | 3.3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1 | 11 | 5 | |
| 2008 | 45 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2.9 | 4.1 | -1.2 | 3 | 7 | 4 | |||||
| 2009 | 46 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 7.4 | 6.3 | 1.1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2 | 14 | 5 | |
| 2010 | 47 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 10.9 | 3.1 | 7.9 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1.000 | 2 | 8 | 4 | Super Bowl Champions |
| 2011 | 48 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | .938 | 11.4 | 11.5 | -0.1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 11 | 6 | |
| 2012 | 49 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 7.3 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1 | 9 | 6 | |
| 2013 | 50 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 8 | 7 | 1 | .531 | -3.1 | 0.5 | -3.6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 51 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 8.3 | 7.9 | 0.4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 52 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5.3 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2 | 8 | 5 | |
| 2016 | 53 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 2.8 | 4.9 | -2.0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | .667 | 1 | 5 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 54 | GNB | NFL | 16 | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | -1.9 | -0.3 | -1.6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | |||||
| 2018 | 55 | GNB | NFL | 12 | 4 | 7 | 1 | .375 | -2.7 | 0.0 | -2.7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | Fired after Week 13 | ||||
| 2020 | 57 | DAL | NFL | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | -5.1 | 1.0 | -6.1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 2021 | 58 | DAL | NFL | 17 | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 9.9 | 8.2 | 1.7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 5 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 59 | DAL | NFL | 17 | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 6.5 | 5.3 | 1.3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 60 | DAL | NFL | 17 | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 9.2 | 6.5 | 2.7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 61 | DAL | NFL | 11 | 4 | 7 | 0 | .364 | -7.1 | -1.7 | -5.4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | |||||
| 18 yrs | 282 | 171 | 109 | 2 | .610 | 22 | 11 | 11 | .500 | 1.8 | 107 | 52 | |||||||
| 13 yrs | GNB | 204 | 125 | 77 | 2 | .618 | 18 | 10 | 8 | .556 | 1.8 | 93 | 47 | ||||||
| 5 yrs | DAL | 78 | 46 | 32 | 0 | .590 | 4 | 1 | 3 | .250 | 2.0 | 14 | 5 | ||||||
Jones, however, seems determined to stick by his coach for the time being. His comments about McCarthy’s track record suggest that he values the experience McCarthy brings, as well as his previous success with Green Bay, where McCarthy led the Packers to a Super Bowl championship. Jones believes that McCarthy still has the ideas and leadership to turn things around, even though this season has not gone as planned. That sentiment has left many fans confused, especially those who feel that the Cowboys need a fresh approach at the top to break through in the postseason.
As the Cowboys continue their disappointing campaign in 2024, their future remains uncertain, especially regarding the head coach position. While many fans are pushing for a change before the 2025 season begins, Jerry Jones’ commitment to McCarthy suggests that the decision may be more complex than simply firing a coach after a tough season. The focus for the Cowboys may still be on building for the future, whether that involves sticking with McCarthy for the long term or eventually making a change at the helm.
In the meantime, with their playoff hopes all but dashed, Dallas will likely be analyzing their roster and preparing for the 2025 NFL Draft, with an eye on strengthening key positions and possibly looking for a new direction if a coaching change does come to pass. Regardless of the decision on McCarthy’s future, the Cowboys will need to regroup and retool in the offseason to ensure they’re in a better position to contend for a Super Bowl next year.
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