FRISCO, Texas -- Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is in the midst of a make-or-break season in 2024, the final year of his five-year coaching contract with "America's Team."
However, Dallas is off to a 5-7 start in a year marred by injuries to quarterback Dak Prescott (season-ending hamstring tear), cornerback DaRon Bland (foot stress fracture), edge rusher DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), edge rusher Micah Parsons (high ankle sprain), right guard Zack Martin (ankle/shoulder), cornerback Trevon Diggs (groin/knee) and wide receiver Brandin Cooks (knee) -- just to name a few.
Given Prescott's ascension to being the 2023 NFL MVP runner-up in 2023 after leading the NFL with 36 touchdown passes, he told CBS Sports on Tuesday that he is going to go to bat for McCarthy to be given another Cowboys contract at season's end. In the three years Prescott finished a season upright, Dallas went 12-5 every year from 2021-2023. That stretch marked the second time in franchise history in which that happened, joining the Cowboys' 1990s dynasty run from 1992-1995 during which they won three Super Bowls in four seasons.
"Obviously I'm going to make that case first and foremost with everything that he's had to battle," Prescott said. "This year being a contract year ... and the pressure that goes into that and now carrying into the season. And then on top of that, right, the injury bug has hit us. ... I'm going to push and be in the corner and pushing for Mike to get a second contract ... and just the opportunity to do things more with a healthy team. I'm all for it. It's been tough, and [I] feel helpless in the sense of not being able to help him in a year knowing how big this is, being able to get out there to play well to get victories and even in the games that we played, not being able to play as well or get victories, was very frustrating."
Prescott also mentioned a second Cowboys contract being like a "second chance" for McCarthy to do things his way going forward. That somewhat infers that owner and general manager Jerry Jones didn't provide McCarthy the highest caliber of roster in 2024. Jones repeatedly spoke about his salary cap management this past offseason and how he felt he needed to earmark money for Prescott and All-Pro wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, whom he re-signed to a four-year, $136 million extension. The Cowboys spent an NFL-low $20.13 million in free agency this past offseason, according to OverTheCap.com, which was just over $10 million fewer than the perpetually cap-strapped New Orleans Saints ($30.925 million).
McCarthy addressed those comments Wednesday and maintained he has plenty of support from Dallas' front office. He also claimed to have more input when it comes to the draft in Dallas than he did in 13 seasons with the Green Bay Packers (2006-2018) despite winning them a Super Bowl in the 2010 season.
"Yes, definitely," McCarthy said Wednesday when asked about feeling like he has front office support and input with the front office. "I think it's like any job and this one specifically, I have a clear understanding of the responsibility. This is the most input I've ever been apart of as a head coach in personnel, particularly in the draft. We spend a tremendous amount of time as a coaching staff on the draft. The draft selection, preparation process.
"I'm not sure what exactly [Prescott] said, but its just like anything: we are in year five of a program, we have a lot of excellent things in place, and I think we have some things we can do better, and I think it's all part of growing. It's no different than the way I felt in year five or six in my last opportunity."
