Cowboys owner Jerry Jones credits head coach Mike McCarthy for the team’s performance on Sunday night, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a fourth win in the past five games to push their record to 7-8.
“All I can say is what a good job, how good a job he’s doing,” Jones said of McCarthy, whose contract expires when the regular season ends Jan. 5. “Don’t have thoughts that I would share as to anything about what we do after we’re through playing this year.”
Jones said last month it wouldn’t be “crazy at all” to ponder a contract extension for McCarthy despite Dallas missing the playoffs and a steep decline from a 12-5 regular season in 2023. The Cowboys won the NFC East last season but will finish third in 2024.
The final two games of the regular season are against NFC East-leading Philadelphia and current wild-card holder Washington. How the Cowboys perform in those games might ultimately determine the direction the Cowboys go with McCarthy and the coaching position. The Cowboys beat the Commanders at Washington last month to end a five-game losing streak that started the current run of success.
Dallas was eliminated from the playoff picture Sunday by virtue of the Commanders’ win over the Eagles earlier in the day. But they got another win on Sunday night, sinking the Buccaneers 26-24 by forcing a fumble by Rachaad White in the final minute of the game. The Cowboys also had an interception and four sacks in the game.
“They wouldn’t give it up out there. So I’m real, real proud of them,” Jones said. “Mike McCarthy, he just won’t let them not think they’re playing for the Super Bowl out there. He won’t let them do it. So proud of that.”