Sunday marked the most lopsided home defeat the Cowboys have suffered since Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989. Dallas’ owner and general manager faced a new round of questions about a potential coaching change, but his response was another endorsement of Mike McCarthy. 
“Oh, I haven’t even considered that,” Jones said when asked about the possibility of firing McCarthy (via ESPN’s Todd Archer). “I’m not considering that. Just so you’re clear, I’m not considering that… I’m not going to hypothetical with you about would I consider a coaching change in light of the timing we’re sitting here with. I’m not. At all.”
Dallas’ home success from 2023 came to an end during last year’s wild-card round, and the start of this season has not gone according to plan in that respect. The Cowboys are 3-0 on the road in 2024, but 0-3 at home (with a -66 point differential). Questions have loomed about McCarthy’s status given Jones’ decision not to authorize a new contract – one which was based in large part on that lopsided playoff loss to the Packers – this offseason. Jones’ latest vote of confidence should not come as a surprise, however.
McCarthy helped guide the Cowboys to a 12-5 record each year from 2021-23, a strong run of regular season success. Of course, that has not yet translated into a deep playoff run, leaving plenty of pressure on the former Super Bowl winner’s shoulders to reverse that trend in 2024. A lack of consistency on offense and struggles against the run on defense – both before and after a litany of recent injuries in the front seven – have left the team at .500 entering the bye, a worse situation that what many expected before the year but not enough for Jones to reverse his support of McCarthy.
Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer returned to Dallas this offseason as Dan Quinn‘s replacement. The former Vikings head coach – who is interested in but not anticipating a second head coaching opportunity – represents a logical interim option if McCarthy were to be let go during the middle of the season. Given Jones’ latest remarks on the matter, though, no such move is receiving any thought at this point.