Despite not being in playoff contention, the Dallas Cowboys showed resilience and determination in their 26–24 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night. Owner Jerry Jones expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance, especially highlighting head coach Mike McCarthy’s coaching ability. Jones praised McCarthy for having the team playing at a high level, even though they are not in postseason contention. He noted that McCarthy has brought out a strong emotional effort from the players, calling it one of the best performances he’s seen.
With the Cowboys now 7–8, having won four of their last five games, there’s a sense that they’ve gained momentum, even though their playoff hopes are slim. Cooper Rush has stepped up in place of the injured Dak Prescott, contributing to the team’s recent success. Jones emphasized McCarthy’s role in this progress, especially after a challenging season. While McCarthy’s future with the Cowboys remains uncertain, with his contract up after 2024, Jones’s positive actions, including an encouraging post-game interaction with McCarthy, suggest he’s pleased with the team’s recent form.
Jones has consistently been a supporter of both McCarthy and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer throughout a season filled with ups and downs. Despite the Cowboys’ struggles, especially on defense, where they’ve allowed the third-most points in the league, Jones has maintained a positive outlook. Even with the Cowboys unlikely to make the playoffs, Jones continues to back McCarthy, noting his high regard for both coaches.
Recently, rumors about a possible trade involving linebacker Micah Parsons also circulated, but Jones firmly shut them down. He reassured the public that the Cowboys are committed to Parsons, affirming that no such discussions about his future with the team had taken place. Parsons himself has expressed a strong desire to remain with the Cowboys and continue his career in Dallas. With Parsons entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, the team faces important decisions about his future, but Jones’s comments signal the likelihood of Parsons staying with the Cowboys.
In addition, Mike McCarthy recently addressed his past relationship with Aaron Rodgers during an appearance in Rodgers’s Netflix docuseries, Aaron Rodgers: Enigma. McCarthy, who coached Rodgers for over a decade with the Green Bay Packers, refuted the notion that Rodgers’s off-field interests, like his exploration of ayahuasca and his darkness retreat, ever distracted him from football. McCarthy praised Rodgers for his wide range of interests, which contributed to the team’s “current event” discussions during meetings. This was a practice McCarthy had used with other teams as well. The two former colleagues have since reconciled, with both now expressing mutual appreciation for their time together in Green Bay, moving beyond past tensions that had marked the end of their tenure with the Packers.
