Jerry Jones comments on Mike McCarthy's job security heading into NFL playoffs
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is shouldering sky-high expectations as his team moves into the first round of the playoffs this weekend. McCarthy has reached 12 victories in three straight regular seasons and is now heading toward the final year of his contract. Team owner Jerry Jones discussed the skipper’s job security after the 38-10 victory over the Commanders on Sunday.
“I just think his record speaks for itself. I think of what he’s done and that we’ve put ourselves in this position over these last three years, I think that does speak for itself,” Jones said, via Jon Machota of the Athletic.
“We’ve got a lot of football left and no small part thanks to Mike,” Jones added. “… We’ll see how each game goes.”
After his exit from Green Bay, McCarthy initially signed a five-year deal when he accepted the job in 2020. How long his extension could go for is now up for debate. Jones told the coach this summer that he’d like to keep the former Super Bowl winner around as long as he did Tom Landry – roughly three decades.
With the win on Sunday, McCarthy became the first Cowboys coach to notch three consecutive 12-win seasons to begin his tenure in Dallas.
McCarthy’s ‘Carpe Omnia’ theme working for Dallas
Following the early end to the Cowboys’ 2022 postseason run last year, Mike McCarthy put a new theme in place for the 2023 season: Carpe Omnia, or “Seize everything.” Now heading into a home game against the Packers for the first round of the playoffs, the Cowboys have seized the NFC East title, but there’s a whole lot more ahead.
“We set the goal back in April, and magnified it in training camp,” McCarthy said on Sunday night. “We understand that the body of work and the things we needed to accomplish — we did a good job. Should be proud of the No. 2 seed and the divisional championship, and I am proud of that, but most important is playoff time.
“We need to play our best football. It doesn’t matter who we play or where we’re playing, and that has to be our mindset. … It’s really about how you’re playing. It’s about the team that is playing the best time of year.”
The Sunday afternoon matchup against Green Bay will be a reunion with his former team. However, the head coach is focused on getting the Cowboys through to the next round. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. ET in Arlington.
“The drama of it I’m sure you guys will love,” McCarthy said post-game, via Jon Machota. “I will not participate in it. … It’s playoff time. It doesn’t matter who we play, to be honest with you.”