Dallas Cowboys put an end to the Mike McCarthy era but there's an elephant in the room fans shouldn't ignore
The Mike McCarthy era has come to an end for the Dallas Cowboys . . . even if they didn't exactly want that to be the case. Though a large portion of fans hoping for change will celebrate the move in the hopes of better results coming to Dallas, the above is a detail that shouldn't […]
The Mike McCarthy era has come to an end for the Dallas Cowboys . . . even if they didn't exactly want that to be the case.
Though a large portion of fans hoping for change will celebrate the move in the hopes of better results coming to Dallas, the above is a detail that shouldn't be lost on them as it paints a bleak picture of the way things are done in the Cowboys organization.
According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, "the sides couldn’t agree on length of contract and McCarthy will pursue other opportunities."
The elephant in the room from the above hugely important detail is obvious: The Cowboys tried to get McCarthy back but couldn't agree with him to a contract extension. They wanted to run it back yet the head coach decided to move on just as much as they did, if not more.
This alone should be underwhelming for fans: The Cowboys got out leveraged in negotiations by McCarthy, who they wanted running the team. The coach has already gained interest from the Chicago Bears and the New Orleans Saints are also expected to reach out to him.
But the underlying reality behind the disagreement between McCarthy and the Cowboys is even more important to understand, albeit frustrating.
Here's the thing about coaching contracts in the NFL: They're fully guaranteed. If fired, coaches still receive their full compensation. Based on what we know, it would be an educated guess to say Jerry Jones didn't want to commit to a four-year deal or longer knowing this.
It would also be fair speculation to say that's why the Cowboys let Jason Garrett to reach a contract year twice in his career in Dallas and the same with McCarthy this time around. Keep in mind, it's not common practice in the NFL to allow a coach's contract to expire. For obvious reasons – including attracting free agents and overall continuity – it's healthier for the team to have a coach locked in for the long run. But not doing so does save you some coin should you want to move on at a later date.
This is important to understand because in all likelihood, the Cowboys wanted McCarthy back on a short leash but they were still thinking about the bottom line over football when they decided they didn't want to sign the coach on another long term deal. Otherwise, why would they have moved on over such a detail?
Wanting McCarthy back implies they thought he was the better choice for their football team. And yet, in an effort to avoid paying out a deal in the scenario of firing McCarthy, they opted to part ways with him instead.
I'm not saying McCarthy was the right head coach for the Cowboys. That's a different discussion. But it's tough to ignore how things went down in this process. Dallas wanted McCarthy back. But in the end, it was money that dictated their decision more than the underlying football.
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