Jerry Jones didn’t mince words, and he was unequivocal in his support for Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy as his head coach in 2022. Jones addressed the speculation that has surrounded McCarthy’s future since the Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs.
Mike McCarthy’s job as Dallas Cowboys head coach was never in question, according to Jerry Jones
The Cowboys owner said that keeping McCarthy was always the plan. Even the frustration of Dallas being defeated in the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers did not change that. That loss included a botched hurry-up offense with major clock management issues. The Cowboys also committed 14 penalties during the 23-17 loss.
“I want to clear up the idea that Mike McCarthy was twisting in the wind,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “That wasn’t the case at all.”
Jones dismissed the idea the Cowboys were already lining up Sean Payton as the next head coach
Additionally, Jones dismissed unconfirmed reports that retired former New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton will become a candidate for the Cowboys’ job in 2023.
“I understand the speculation,” Jones told The Dallas Morning News. “Sean is an outstanding coach. But I haven’t talked to him and am not in any way part of his departure there in New Orleans. He didn’t have any place in anything I’m doing regarding our staff.”
The return of Dan Quinn to the Cowboys is a huge boost for Dallas
Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is back on a multi-year contract extension, which is a boost to McCarthy as one of the best DCs in the league returns. Quinn got a substantial raise, per a league source.
Quinn withdrew his name from consideration for the Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and Minnesota Vikings after being a finalist with the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos jobs. Those two roles went to Matt Eberflus and Nathaniel Hackett, respectively.
“My goal was to keep the continuity of this group together,” Jones said. “We met many times face to face, Dan, myself, and Mike, to coordinate and talk to him. We were very much in a competitive environment because we felt Dan did have the opportunity to be a (head coach).”