Will Cowboys sack Mike McCarthy and lose playoffs again? Dallas coach status reportedly precarious

In the regular season, Mike McCarthy was everything the Cowboys wanted.

After surviving a 2020 season derailed by Dak Prescott’s horrific ankle injury, Dallas finished 12-5 on consecutive seasons with one NFC East title.

However, so far there has been no playoff success. With the Cowboys suffering a home loss in the wild card round last season and being quickly beaten by the 49ers, the pressure is on McCarthy to make sure he wins at least one game this time.

Speculation has continued over the Cowboys since Sean Payton left the Saints after the 2021 season. If Dallas loses to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers on Monday night, can Jerry Jones leave McCarthy and go after Payton?

Learn more: Cowboys vs. Buccaneers odds, predictions and betting trends for the NFL Wildcard Playoff game.

Here’s what we know about McCarthy’s status going into 2023.

Will the Cowboys Fire Mike McCarthy?

ESPN reported Wednesday that McCarthy and Chargers coach Brandon Staley “could be in trouble if their team doesn’t make the playoffs, and there is some outside chatter.” rice field.

MORE: Will Chargers fire Brandon Staley after playoff meltdown against Jaguars?

The Cowboys have had a lot of success over the past two seasons, so it wouldn’t be surprising if Jones considered a change. He called last year’s playoff loss to the 49ers “very disappointing” and “amazing”.

Jones dismissed the notion that this game against the Buccaneers would determine McCarthy’s status, telling Dallas’ 105.3 The Fan radio station, “There’s a lot more to value Mike McCarthy than this playoff game.”

That comment raised eyebrows. This means that the Cowboys would have to make a decision if they lost, and such a decision could certainly be considered if they lost to a team below .500 in the wildcard round.

Jones added that he has full faith in McCarthy and the coaching staff.

Prescott was surprised to hear questions from reporters about McCarthy’s job, calling them “comical” after a streak of 12 wins.

Dak Prescott didn’t realize that Mike McCarthy’s job status was a hot topic among some people heading into the wildcard round of the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/lrls8JPunL

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) January 13, 2023

MORE: NFL coaches fired in 2023: Breaking news on LaVie Smith, Cliff Kingsbury, and more on the hot seat

The Cowboys’ season seemed to be headed the wrong way when Dallas suffered a Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, losing Prescott to a thumb injury in the process, but 4-1 with backup Cooper Rush. 3 weeks left in the regular season.

Will the Cowboys go after Sean Payton?

Many have speculated that Peyton’s presence on the open market could spur Jones to consider a change.

The former Saints coach won’t give his first in-person interview until the day after the Cowboys’ wild card round game in Tampa, so it’s almost certain he’ll still be available should Dallas lose.

MORE: Breaking news on Cardinals, Broncos and Sean Payton’s other fit

The connection between Jones and Peyton runs deep. Payton served as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator before taking over at New Orleans in 2006, and Jones went so far as to hire the Super Bowl-winning coach in 2019.

According to ProFootballTalk, the Cowboys and Saints struck a deal to allow Payton to move to Dallas, but when NBA star Anthony Davis asked the Pelicans to trade him the same week, Saints GM Mickey Loomis got his hands on it. pulled. Loomis, who also serves as vice president for the Pelicans, didn’t want to lose two of Louisiana’s favorite athletes at once.

This offseason may be Jones’ best and last chance to land the coach he’s been coveting in the past. Would an early playoff exit help spur transfers? It’s hard to take Jones or anyone else’s word for it.

Mike McCarthy coaching record

Jason Garrett went 24-24 in his first three seasons and missed the playoffs every season, so it looks like McCarthy was a winner enough to win four seasons in Dallas.

Still, the playoff struggle has accelerated his downfall in Green Bay and would be a legitimate storyline should the Cowboys run into another obstacle.