Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told everyone everything they needed to know about head coach Mike McCarthy’s future with the team when he refused to sign him to a contract extension during the offseason, letting him play out this season on an expiring contract.
Most believe McCarthy isn’t coming back next year, especially with Bill Belichick lurking on the free-agent market, and after Sunday’s embarrassing 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, it feels like McCarthy is just going through the motions until the season ends.
With speculation running rampant that McCarthy is on borrowed time, even his players appear to have no empathy for him either as he likely has just eight games left before he’s cut loose.
“Mike can leave and go wherever he wants,” star pass-rusher Micah Parsons told reporters after Sunday’s loss. “Guys I kind of feel bad for [are] guys like Zack Martin and guys who might be on their last year or on their way out because that’s who I wanted to hold the trophy for.
“You want to win games and do great things with those type of legends who put in more time and work than Mike McCarthy ever did. Those are the kind of guys that I have so much sympathy and hurt for.”
Parsons’ words paint a picture of a disgruntled star player fed up with not meeting expectations and tired of having to answer questions about his coach’s job security.
Even if the Cowboys were to win out and make the playoffs with an 11-6 record — aside from making an improbable run to the Super Bowl — it’s likely not enough to save McCarthy’s job.
If McCarthy and the Cowboys do part ways at the end of the season, it would likely be a relief of sorts for most of the locker room. Along with the security of signing a new head coach also comes the optimism that a 12-5 season won’t end with a disappointing playoff exit, as has been the theme of the McCarthy regime.
