Mike McCarthy comments on decision to let several coaches walk
The Dallas Cowboys fell well short of their goal of winning a championship in 2022 after a second consecutive 12-win campaign. As the Cowboys look to solve the puzzle to get to their first NFC Championship Game since 1995, they will do so with an entirely different coaching staff as a plethora of them had […]
The Dallas Cowboys fell well short of their goal of winning a championship in 2022 after a second consecutive 12-win campaign. As the Cowboys look to solve the puzzle to get to their first NFC Championship Game since 1995, they will do so with an entirely different coaching staff as a plethora of them had expiring contracts.
Cowboys' head coach Mike McCarthy, who is going into his fourth season in Dallas in 2023, gave them a proper send-off on Thursday.
"We thank these men for their hard work, dedication, and contributions to the Cowboys," said McCarthy. "Each of them represented our team and organization at a high, professional level with class and commitment to making our team better. These were difficult decisions to make because of the great respect I have for each of them as a coach and a person of character, combined with the experiences we've all gone through together. This is the hardest part of the business and we wish them nothing but the best."
Defensive line coach Leon Lett was the longest-tenured member of the staff spending 12 seasons with the Cowboys, making him one of the bigger surprises in this scenario. Another head-scratcher was senior defensive assistant George Edwards who formed a bond with All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons and had strong ties to safety Jayron Kearse, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, and linebacker Anthony Barr who all joined the Cowboys after playing under him during his days with the Minnesota Vikings.
Offensive line coach Joe Philbin spent years with McCarthy in Green Bay before joining him in Dallas in 2020. There were some musical chairs with the Cowboys' offensive line over the last few seasons due to injuries, which is Philbin's fault. However, questionable starting lineups and rotations left plenty to be desired, so a change may have been inevitable here.
The departure of running backs coach Skip Pette is an interesting one. This was his second stint with the Cowboys, and he had a hand in helping Tony Pollard reach a Pro Bowl level. Pette not being brought back doesn't mean the same will happen with running back Ezekiel Elliott, but the Cowboys moving on with his position coach is something to monitor.
This revamping of the coaching staff will certainly be a hot topic during the offseason.
Feature image via Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
