Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott told CBS Sports in a one-on-one interview on Dec. 3 that he was going to go to bat for coach Mike McCarthy to return as the team's head coach in 2025.
Ultimately, that didn't happen with McCarthy and the Cowboys parting ways on Monday. That's why Prescott acknowledged the "business" component of life in the NFL when speaking about McCarthy's departure.
"Just [a] great dude and blessed to be able to play underneath him," Prescott said via The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday. "It's a business."
Prescott presented a more buttoned up, public response to McCarthy's departure than All-Pro teammate Micah Parsons, who called the head coach's exit "devastating."
A year ago at this time, Prescott was coming off the most efficient season of his career as he posted a career-high 105.9 passer rating and led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes as the Cowboys posted a 12-5 record for the third consecutive season. He was the 2023 NFL MVP runner-up to Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in McCarthy's first season as Dallas' offensive play-caller.
In 2024, a laundry list of injuries -- including Prescott (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 -- played a key role in derailing McCarthy's second year calling the offense.
After his injury-plagued season, a season the Cowboys finished 7-10, Prescott will play for the third head coach in 10 seasons in Dallas in 2025.
