Cowboys to move on from Mike McCarthy

FRISCO, Texas – The Mike McCarthy era is over in Dallas as the Cowboys have officially announced their decision to part ways with McCarthy after five seasons.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones released the following statement Monday:

“Throughout Mike McCarthy’s tenure here, including the last several weeks, I have been very complimentary of the work he has done. That has been true of our record over that period, our team unity and culture, Mike’s qualifications and track record of success, and on a personal level as a tremendous human being,” said Cowboys Owner, President and General Manager Jerry Jones. “I have great respect for Mike and he has led the team through some very unique and challenging times during his tenure.

Over the past week, Mike and I have had the opportunity to jointly review all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and we also spent considerable time discussing the way forward for the team. These discussions were thorough and given an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover. Before we got to the contract negotiations, however, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to go in a different direction. I thank Mike and wish him, his wife Jessica and their family the best. They have been a wonderful part of our community here.

We will immediately begin a search process to hire the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.”

McCarthy was named the ninth head coach in franchise history on January 8, 2020 and led the Cowboys to a 49–35 regular season record during his time in Dallas. That tenure included three playoff appearances in three straight seasons from 2021–23, the first time the Cowboys had been to the postseason in three consecutive years since 1993–95.

2020 was McCarthy’s first season in 2020, where a mix of COVID and other struggles, including losing quarterback Dak Prescott for the season with an ankle injury, finished the tumultuous year 6-10.

The ship turned in 2022, as McCarthy and the Cowboys recorded their first of three straight 12-5 seasons with a high-scoring offense and a valiant defense led by Dan Quinn, winning two NFC East championships in that span.

In the playoffs, McCarthy’s teams did not have the same success they had in the regular season. Their only playoff win came in the 2022 wild-card round against the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Their promising 2023 season came to an abrupt halt in a shocking 48-32 loss to the wild-card Green Bay Packers, a loss that owner Jerry Jones said was one of “the most painful” losses he has ever faced.

In 2024, things didn’t improve much for Dallas. Riddled with injuries from early parts of the season, impact players like DeMarcus Lawrence and Trevon Diggs dealt with injuries that lingered throughout the year.

The Cowboys had a 3-4 record before losing Prescott in Week 9 against the Atlanta Falcons for the season with a hamstring injury, making things more difficult. Dallas would go on to finish the season 7-10, their worst record since the 2020 COVID year.

Now, Jones and the Cowboys will begin their search for the tenth head coach in franchise history and the ninth since Jones bought the Cowboys in 1989.