The Dallas Cowboys ended last season on a disappointing note. Mike McCarthy’s team had been dominant at home, only to have their promising campaign derailed by the youngest team in the NFL on their own turf. That unexpected loss led many to question McCarthy’s future as head coach, especially after such a disappointing finish. Despite the growing doubts, Jerry Jones chose to retain McCarthy, much to the surprise of many.
This season, McCarthy entered with considerable pressure on his shoulders, and based on the team’s performance, it’s difficult to argue in his favor. Still, linebacker Micah Parsons defended his coach when asked about the situation. In a recent ESPN interview, Parsons pointed to injuries as the main factor behind the team’s struggles, saying: “I would like a fair shot with everyone healthy – players and coaches – because injuries really hurt what this season could have been.”
While Parsons’ argument has some merit, given how injuries have affected key players, it wasn’t the only problem. Despite Jerry Jones’ promises to go “all-in” during the offseason, the Cowboys made minimal moves to improve. The team entered the season with several unresolved issues, and their lack of action in the draft and free agency left many of those concerns unaddressed.
The Cowboys’ roster was already flawed when the season began, and their decision to lock in long-term deals for Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and soon Micah Parsons could limit their flexibility in building a competitive team for the future. While McCarthy can’t be blamed for every shortcoming, he hasn’t done much to fix the problems that persist either.
