As the Dallas Cowboys return to action from their bye in Week 8, fans are wondering just how much longer of a leash Mike McCarthy has left. The Cowboys head coach’s seat has grown hotter by the week, especially following Week 6’s disastrous 47-9 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium.
Even though McCarthy has guided the Cowboys to three consecutive 12-win campaigns, the franchise has zero playoff success to show for it. It’s also unlikely that Dallas will keep that trend going given the team would need to go 9-2 down the stretch to match that performance.
With the Cowboys heading in the wrong direction, it’s only natural that owner/general manager Jerry Jones would reflect on past regrets.
Cowboys News: Jerry Jones Regrets Firing Wade Phillips
During Tuesday’s interview with 105.3 The Fan, Jones revealed to listeners that firing Wade Phillips during the 2010 season was one of his biggest regrets, (h/t Cowboys insider Joseph Hoyt). It stung Jones knowing that Phillips eventually went on to win a Super Bowl as a defensive coordinator with the Denver Broncos.
Then-offensive coordinator Jason Garrett took over as the interim head coach following a 1-7 start under Phillips’ guidance. The Cowboys ended up going 5-3 across their final eight games, resulting in Garrett sticking around behind the bench until the end of the 2019 season.
Back on Oct. 15, Jones told 105.3 The Fan listeners that he “won’t be making” any more in-season coaching changes. The fact that the 82-year-old billionaire openly regrets canning Phillips midway through the 2010 campaign likely solidifies that fact.
While some owners are willing to take some risks, it’s clear that Jones is fine with sticking with the status quo for the remainder of the season. He’s often too proud to admit when he’s made a mistake and firing McCarthy within the next 11 weeks would suggest that he completely fumbled the Cowboys’ season.
At the end of the day, it might be time for Jones to stop living in the past. He was convinced that a washed-up Ezekiel Elliott could still be a No. 1 running back. He clearly regrets a coaching decision from nearly 15 years ago. He’s convinced that he’s a great general manager just because of the Super Bowls that were won in the 1990s.
Instead of pining for the glory days, Jones needs to wake up and focus on how he can make the Cowboys’ present and future better. Now that he’s firmly in his 80s, time is ticking if he still wants to see another championship run.
Whether McCarthy finishes the year in Dallas or not, it’s hard to imagine the Lombardi Trophy being in the Cowboys’ immediate future. America’s Team heads into Week 8 with the 13th-best Super Bowl LIX odds (+3600) on FanDuel Sportsbook.
