Mike McCarthy and Zac Taylor Made Headlines for the Wrong Reasons
By Jordan Sigler, Athlon Sports
Updated December 9, 2024, 9:14 PM
Several members of the Dallas Cowboys were visibly upset following their 27-20 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night. With their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, the Cowboys’ loss dropped them to 5-8, leaving them three games behind the Washington Commanders for the NFC’s seventh seed. The game was tied 20-20 late in the fourth quarter, but an unfortunate series of events ultimately handed the Bengals the win.
Dallas’ special teams had a blocked punt, which would typically be seen as a positive play, but the ball went past the line of scrimmage. Cornerback Amani Oruwariye muffed the ball, allowing Cincinnati to recover. The Bengals quickly capitalized, scoring a touchdown on their next drive to take a 27-20 lead with just over a minute left. The Cowboys’ offense could not respond, turning the ball over on downs in their final attempt.
Star pass rusher Micah Parsons showed his frustration after the game, storming off the field without shaking hands with Bengals players. Meanwhile, McCarthy became a topic of controversy after his handshake with Zac Taylor. A cameraman appeared to block McCarthy’s exit from the field, and McCarthy appeared to push the camera person, causing them to stumble backward. It was unclear whether McCarthy was trying to steady himself or deliberately pushing the cameraman out of his way. This incident reminded some fans of a similar situation during last season’s Divisional Round, when McCarthy was seen grabbing at a camera after the Cowboys’ loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
Social media users quickly reacted, with some suggesting McCarthy had intentionally shoved the cameraman. One fan wrote, “Micah Parsons storming off early, Mike McCarthy shoving camera guys. The Cowboys are cooked.” Another questioned, “Did Mike McCarthy just gut check a camera guy?” While others humorously commented on McCarthy’s apparent frustration with a special teams blunder: “Mike McCarthy wanted to push that cameraman so bad.”
