Vote Of Confidence?

By: Mike Rifkin

Tuesday in Oxnard California the Dallas Cowboys opened up training camp. Which meant team Owner, President, and General Manager Jerry Jones spoke to the media. During his press conference Jones said on Head Coach Mike McCarthy “ I want to be real clear: He wouldn’t be sitting here today if I didn’t believe he was the man to lead this team to a Super Bowl. And I have choices.” McCarthy is entering his third year as the Cowboys coach with a record of 18-15. 

Last year the Cowboys won the NFC East for the fourth time in seven years. But once again the Cowboys lost in the Wild Card round to the San Francisco 49ers. The end of the game had people talking about McCarthy’s usage of time management . But Jones’s comments to some might seem like a vote of confidence, but to me it’s more of an ultimatum .

And Jerry will have choices to be the next head coach if McCarthy cannot get the job done. The Cowboys were able to retain both coordinators Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn, both of which did interview for head coaching vacancies this offseason. And Quinn did lead the Atlanta Falcons to a Super Bowl appearance. Then there is Sean Payton the former Saints head coach who stepped down this offseason. Payton was an assistant coach/Quarterbacks coach under Bill Parcells in Dallas prior to becoming the Saints head coach. As Saints head coach Payton went 152-89 in the regular season and led them to a Super Bowl victory. If McCarthy cannot get the job done this year I would think these three names will top Jerry’s wish list for the next head coach. 

Jerry will see his team get tested early on this season as three of their first five games are against three of the four teams that played on Championship Sunday as the Cowboys will host the Buccaneers and the Bengals the first two weeks of the season and travel to Los Angeles to play the defending Super Bowl Champion Rams in week five. They will play six teams who made the playoffs in 2021 including two meetings with division rival Philadelphia Eagles who seem to be the biggest threat to the Cowboys winning the NFC East again. Jerry clearly believes this team is good enough to get to the Super Bowl and if McCarthy doesn’t get it done he will be gone.