The Dallas Cowboys disrupted the NFL news cycle when the front office and Mike McCarthy could not come to terms on a contract extension in January.
Since then, the Cowboys have hired Brian Schottenheimer as the head coach and assembled an experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled coaching staff.
In his five seasons with the Cowboys, McCarthy led the team to three playoff berths and three straight 12-5 seasons, earning the respect and admiration of players on both offense and defense.
Despite a 7-10 record this season, his strong relationships with players on the Cowboys roster were reflected in his head coaching grade, released today by the NFLPA.
Mike McCarthy received an A grade, which is primarily based on his efficiency with players' time and how receptive they were to feedback from the locker room regarding the team's needs.
He has often been regarded as a players' coach due to his strong relationships, though this has sometimes worked to a fault.
Cowboys Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin criticized McCarthy's decision not to force the team to stay together the night before a home game, suggesting that McCarthy's leniency may have led to a lack of focus leading up to critical games.
There is certainly a point to be made that McCarthy's leniency with the team's players may have been to a fault. While he kept the team in good spirits, he may have sacrificed keeping their focus on what matters most in football: winning games.
