After months of speculation, Mike McCarthy won’t return to the Dallas Cowboys.
The coach and the team will part ways rather than work to pursue a contract extension, the team confirmed in a statement Monday.
‘Throughout Mike McCarthy’s tenure here, including the last several weeks, I have been very complimentary of the job he has done,’ owner Jerry Jones said in a statement. ‘That has applied to our record over that time period, our team unity and culture, Mike’s qualifications and track record of success, and on a personal level as a tremendous human being. I have great respect for Mike, and he has led the team through some very unique and challenging times during his tenure.’
Jones added that he spent the last week reviewing the past season with McCarthy, but ‘prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.’
The Cowboys will begin their search process for McCarthy’s replacement ‘immediately,’ Jones said.
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McCarthy now will be free to interview with other teams after the Cowboys denied the Chicago Bears’ request last week to speak with the coach about their vacancy.
McCarthy ended his Cowboys tenure with a 49-35 record and three postseason appearances in five seasons, including a 7-10 mark in his final year.
Amid speculation that he could pursue a job with another franchise given his expiring contract, McCarthy said after the Week 18 loss to the Washington Commanders that he preferred to remain with Dallas.
“Absolutely. I have a lot invested here, and the Cowboys have a lot invested in me,” McCarthy said. “And then there’s a personal side to all these decisions. They all point the right direction. I think anytime you invest your time, energy, your belief, the connection you have, the relationships that are in place here, the understanding of what the organization can do and is willing to do. Those are all positive attributes that you take into account.’
McCarthy’s standing had been under scrutiny for nearly a year, as Jerry Jones opted to bring the coach back for the final season of his contract despite a blowout wild-card loss last January to the Green Bay Packers. But he offered no extension and declared that the franchise would be ‘all in’ for 2024 after three consecutive 12-win seasons failed to result in the team breaking what was then a 28-year drought of reaching the NFC championship game.
Yet the Cowboys were dealt major blows early on, as the organization’s 16-game home winning streak in the regular season gave way to five losses at AT&T Stadium to start the season. The 47-9 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 6 was the greatest deficit in a home contest in Jones’ tenure as owner.
Injuries also took a significant toll, with linebacker Micah Parsons, defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence and cornerbacks DaRon Bland and Trevon Diggs among those to miss significant stretches of time. When quarterback Dak Prescott underwent season-ending surgery in early November for a partially torn hamstring, many expected the team would extend a skid that eventually dropped Dallas to 3-7.
But the Cowboys would go on to win four of their next five, stirring speculation that McCarthy could remain with the franchise.
Jones was largely complementary of McCarthy throughout the fall and winter, though he stopped short of ever making a commitment to him.
This story has been updated with new information.