CFZ Will the third time to have a HC on last yr of a contract be different?

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Mike McCarthy will be the third Cowboys head coach in the last 14 years to enter a season on the final year of his contract. In the two previous times it happened, the HC was either fired in mid-season or just not renewed again. Also, the two previous times this happened, the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs.

Reviewing the two previous examples:

• 2010 Season with Wade Phillips. Much like McCarthy this year, going into the 2010 season, Wade Phillips had seen his 2009 team get embarrassed by the Vikings in divisional round game 34-3. In 2007 under Wade the #1 seed Cowboys lost in divisional round to the giants 21-17. The Cowboys started the 2010 season 1-5 with Tony Romo before he broke his collarbone in October. Then the team just quit on Phillips and Jerry fired him after 1-7 start. Of course we did not make the playoffs. The age of Garrett followed.
  
  
• 2019 Season with Jason Garrett. This was the final season with Jason Garrett and in his near decade long tenure with Dallas, we only made the playoffs 3 times. In the previous season with Garrett in 2018, the team did win the NFC east, won a WC game vs the seahawks but got manhandled by the rams 30-22 when the rams rushed for over 250 yards. Garrett was allowed to finish his last year of his contract in 2019, but the team went 9-7 and did not qualify for the playoffs. Garrett was just allowed to walk at season’s end (thankfully, lol) As a side note, the man Jerry said would be scooped up in a moment’s notice as a HC has never been hired again as a HC…at any level.

So as we head into 2024, Big Mac is hanging over a cliff with a roster on paper that appears to be less talented than last year’s squad. And he has a division winner’s first place schedule this year. If this team has a rough start, this could quickly turn into another 2010 season with a firing. I hope not.

And I sincerely believe - this is a bad way to handle a head coach. IMO it would have been better to fire McCarthy after last January's humiliating playoff loss to GB. It was the worst playoff loss in Cowboys history. It is extremely hard to just block that mental memory out and move on. This team better have a roaringly good start or the seat gets scorching for Mac’s behind.

you know, there is that hidden dead cap for head coaches....so Jery has to manage that

 

[rnr_honeybadger]

It's aligning perfectly; no.
Mike and no Dak in 2025. Either Lance looks good, or we suck a year and draft a QB. I wish the FO was smart enough to make a trade for an additional 1st round pick, but they're idiots.

Our FO does not trade. Especially their guys

 

[rags747]

IMO, losing a Super Bowl is light years better than losing a wild card game at home against an inferior opponent. You had to have won at least 2-3 playoff games to get to a SB. We haven’t won two playoff games in a season since Starter jackets were all the rage.

So losing a wildcard game is more painful than losing a SB? No way…

 

[RonnieT24]

Yeah, I am thinking he coached 2014 on the last year of a contract?

Yep he got a 5 year deal both times he was named head coach. Haze missed that one.

 

[TexasHillbilly]

I have no doubt that this team could easily struggle this year, as the roster is currently constructed.

The defensive trenches aren't much better (unproven)

The LB core is marginally better

The FS is still not a strength of this defense

The WRs, we'll see.

McCarthy is still calling the plays, and I don't trust his chess-match skills in the big games.

And who knows how Zimmer is going to do with this rag-tag defense, and let's see how he uses (and rides) Micah

And with a tough schedule, this team may implode. I wouldn't be surprised at a 9-7 season, maybe barely making it into the playoffs, and then losing in the 1st round.

I would not be surprised if the new players and veterens alike stepped up, especially on defense and we win the division.

 

[RonnieT24]

So losing a wildcard game is more painful than losing a SB? No way…

Well he did specify at home to an inferior opponent. That part did hurt. If the Packers had gone on to win the Super Bowl it might have stung less but the fact that most of us still believe the Cowboys were the better team it stings. Still nobody will convince me that the pain I felt after the Green Bay game comes anywhere close to what I felt after the Super Bowl losses to the Steelers. I was only 10 for the Colts loss so that one didn't really resonate. But I was in high school for the Steeler losses.. Hanging out with the guys.. some of whom were inexplicably Steeler fans! NO! NO! and HELL NO! Well actually I guess I was in college for the '78 season loss. But that aint make it no better.

 

[Bobhaze]

So losing a wildcard game is more painful than losing a SB? No way…

I didn’t say it was more painful. I said it was better to have made a SB and lose than never making one at all.

 

[charron]

This is my concern as well. If the team struggles early, it will challenging for Mac to hold the locker room together. Doesn’t mean he can’t or won’t. But I’ve never been a fan of a coach hanging over a cliff as a motivator.

This especially goes for Zimmer who can come across as harsh and some of these softer players may not be willing to respond to him.

 

[fivetwos]

I wouldn't' blame McCarthy if he looked at other offers. Most teams would look at three consecutive 12-5 seasons with complete envy.

They haven't been successful in the playoffs but they also haven't stopped going to the playoffs and each time is another opportunity.

Or does Jerry still believe that 500 other coaches could get there with this team?

I think the Cowboys will be around 10-7 this season but will be a better team in December and January than they have been recently.

If so, Jerry would do well to sign him before the end of the season because there will be other offers. No one can say that he doesn't have the resume.

Many key circumstances point to this team being better later on than early.

If MM can keep them above water for the first 6-7 games, I’d figure him to agree to a shorter type of extension at a reasonable raise. This way Jerry doesn’t risk contributing to…what according to him is a major NFL problem…dead coaching money.

If things don’t go well, I don’t see MM getting a third gig. Someone would absolutely hire him as an OC, but doubt he has many HC ops.

Although he does certainly have one hell of a regular season record. They say the team becomes what the HC is, and they basically have….double digit reg season wins, playoffs…unprepared.

 

[ArtClink]

Mike McCarthy will be the third Cowboys head coach in the last 14 years to enter a season on the final year of his contract. In the two previous times it happened, the HC was either fired in mid-season or just not renewed again. Also, the two previous times this happened, the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs.

Reviewing the two previous examples:

• 2010 Season with Wade Phillips. Much like McCarthy this year, going into the 2010 season, Wade Phillips had seen his 2009 team get embarrassed by the Vikings in divisional round game 34-3. In 2007 under Wade the #1 seed Cowboys lost in divisional round to the giants 21-17. The Cowboys started the 2010 season 1-5 with Tony Romo before he broke his collarbone in October. Then the team just quit on Phillips and Jerry fired him after 1-7 start. Of course we did not make the playoffs. The age of Garrett followed.
  
  
• 2019 Season with Jason Garrett. This was the final season with Jason Garrett and in his near decade long tenure with Dallas, we only made the playoffs 3 times. In the previous season with Garrett in 2018, the team did win the NFC east, won a WC game vs the seahawks but got manhandled by the rams 30-22 when the rams rushed for over 250 yards. Garrett was allowed to finish his last year of his contract in 2019, but the team went 9-7 and did not qualify for the playoffs. Garrett was just allowed to walk at season’s end (thankfully, lol) As a side note, the man Jerry said would be scooped up in a moment’s notice as a HC has never been hired again as a HC…at any level.

So as we head into 2024, Big Mac is hanging over a cliff with a roster on paper that appears to be less talented than last year’s squad. And he has a division winner’s first place schedule this year. If this team has a rough start, this could quickly turn into another 2010 season with a firing. I hope not.

And I sincerely believe - this is a bad way to handle a head coach. IMO it would have been better to fire McCarthy after last January's humiliating playoff loss to GB. It was the worst playoff loss in Cowboys history. It is extremely hard to just block that mental memory out and move on. This team better have a roaringly good start or the seat gets scorching for Mac’s behind.

I agree on all points. The lame duck hc is rarely successful (reminder: In Dallas, success means playoff success).

 

[stiletto]

Nothing hurts more than a Super Bowl loss. I have witnessed three of them and hope to never have to see another. I think I'd rather lose in the NFC Championship than the Super Bowl. That kind of pain leaves scars!

The Cowboys have never been dog walked in a SB. It hurts to lose them but at least those teams made it and were extremely competitive all 3 times. They deserved to be there and were extremely relevant. For the last 30 years the team has been about as irrelevant as it can get even though they are always on the news. They don't deserve to be. It's the teams that lost in those SB's that help keep the current Cowboys on TV...

 

[Bobhaze]

The Cowboys have never been dog walked in a SB. It hurts to lose them but at least those teams made it and were extremely competitive all 3 times. They deserved to be there and were extremely relevant. For the last 30 years the team has been about as irrelevant as it can get even though they are always on the news. They don't deserve to be. It's the teams that lost in those SB's that help keep the current Cowboys on TV...

Give me the pain of a SB loss over the pain of waiting 28 years and counting of even getting close to one.

 

[stiletto]

Give me the pain of a SB loss over the pain of waiting 28 years and counting of even getting close to one.

Yep, if you make the SB you never know what can happen. Obviously, it is not easy to get there as the last Cowboys teams have proven over and over.

 

[plasticman]

How close is the difference between a Super Bowl participant and elimination in a divisional round?

In 1975 the difference was the original Hail Mary.

If that play had never occurred then the Cowboys never would have beaten the Vikings with the opportunity to defeat the Rams in the NFC championship game.

The Vikings were, statistically, the best team in the NFL that season. The Cowboys were the single NFC wildcard team. Both the divisional and NFC championship games were on the road.

The most important aspect of the team that season is they got there, to the playoffs. They earned the opportunity.

The Cowboys futility in the playoffs over the past 29 years mirrors their futility getting to the playoffs. This goes far beyond McCarthy's tenure, as far back the last time a Cowboys HC took them to the playoffs for three consecutive seasons in 1996.

The first time that the Cowboys went to the playoffs for three consecutive seasons was 1966 to 1968 under Tom Landry. As the HC, his playoff record for the Cowboys first three winning seasons was 1-3.

I am just as disappointed as the next fan when it comes to the last three decades. I just question whether a new HC, compatible with the Jones style of management, would be a step forward.

 

[JayFord]

If Garrett could last as many years and he did then Big Mike can stay too

Only way he gets fired is if he goes 2-15, drops a big poo on the star and sings I'm every woman at the post game pressers

 

[KMY_Amber]

I would not be surprised if the new players and veterens alike stepped up, especially on defense and we win the division.

Oh, I would be surprised. Going into the summer, this team feels like a hot mess of issues...with a lame duck coach, and old DC, a lackluster free agency period and a front 7 on defense that feels quite less than stout.

And some of the teams in the division got better.

Plus, it's a tough schedule.

Could easily be 8 and 8 this season, IMO.

 

[Diehardblues]

Mike McCarthy will be the third Cowboys head coach in the last 14 years to enter a season on the final year of his contract. In the two previous times it happened, the HC was either fired in mid-season or just not renewed again. Also, the two previous times this happened, the Cowboys failed to make the playoffs.

Reviewing the two previous examples:

• 2010 Season with Wade Phillips. Much like McCarthy this year, going into the 2010 season, Wade Phillips had seen his 2009 team get embarrassed by the Vikings in divisional round game 34-3. In 2007 under Wade the #1 seed Cowboys lost in divisional round to the giants 21-17. The Cowboys started the 2010 season 1-5 with Tony Romo before he broke his collarbone in October. Then the team just quit on Phillips and Jerry fired him after 1-7 start. Of course we did not make the playoffs. The age of Garrett followed.
  
  
• 2019 Season with Jason Garrett. This was the final season with Jason Garrett and in his near decade long tenure with Dallas, we only made the playoffs 3 times. In the previous season with Garrett in 2018, the team did win the NFC east, won a WC game vs the seahawks but got manhandled by the rams 30-22 when the rams rushed for over 250 yards. Garrett was allowed to finish his last year of his contract in 2019, but the team went 9-7 and did not qualify for the playoffs. Garrett was just allowed to walk at season’s end (thankfully, lol) As a side note, the man Jerry said would be scooped up in a moment’s notice as a HC has never been hired again as a HC…at any level.

So as we head into 2024, Big Mac is hanging over a cliff with a roster on paper that appears to be less talented than last year’s squad. And he has a division winner’s first place schedule this year. If this team has a rough start, this could quickly turn into another 2010 season with a firing. I hope not.

And I sincerely believe - this is a bad way to handle a head coach. IMO it would have been better to fire McCarthy after last January's humiliating playoff loss to GB. It was the worst playoff loss in Cowboys history. It is extremely hard to just block that mental memory out and move on. This team better have a roaringly good start or the seat gets scorching for Mac’s behind.

It definitely doesn’t set us up for success. I’d lean more to a failure this season than success.

I agree it was a humiliating playoff loss. Im just not sure it’s worse playoff loss in Cowboys history. 1968 and 1969 were more disappointing coming off consecutive NFL Title games and dominating regular seasons.

And considering we followed them with consecutive Super Bowls I’d argue were worst and more disappointing.

This current team wasn’t the championship caliber team those were who got blown out. We backed into second seed and weren’t playing our best ball end of season. Embarrassing, humiliating perhaps but not worse in Cowboys history IMO.

 

[Diehardblues]

Oh, I would be surprised. Going into the summer, this team feels like a hot mess of issues...with a lame duck coach, and old DC, a lackluster free agency period and a front 7 on defense that feels quite less than stout.

And some of the teams in the division got better.

Plus, it's a tough schedule.

Could easily be 8 and 8 this season, IMO.

And that doesn’t take into consideration if we have a lame duck QB, a WR who might sit out and best defensive player not happy.

BTW ., we can’t finish 8-8. We have 17 games

 

[Wangchung83]

The real question should be why has Dak gone through multiple head coaches and offensive coordinator’s? Shouldn’t the coach have a shot with a different QB, he has one Dak hasn’t

 

[Beast_from_East]

It's aligning perfectly; no.
Mike and no Dak in 2025. Either Lance looks good, or we suck a year and draft a QB. I wish the FO was smart enough to make a trade for an additional 1st round pick, but they're idiots.

I still dont belive Jerry is going to roll the dice like this. What if Lance sucks and the QB we draft in the top 5 is a bust? Then what? Draft another QB and another and another, ect....

Between Aikman and Romo, the Cowboys had 17 different starting QBs.

There are teams like the Jets, Browns, Titans, and others than have been searching for years for a franchise QB and have repeatedly struck out.

I am not saying that we should pay Dak $60 a year, but to act like it might not take a while to find another franchise QB is not being realistic. It could take a while, a long while, before we find another franchise QB. Is Jerry willing to suffer through half a dozen seasons of 6-8 wins while searching for the next guy and even then you still might not hit on one? I guess we shall see.