Cowboys' Mike McCarthy Has Surgery for Appendicitis; Expected to Coach vs. Eagles

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy had surgery on Wednesday to treat acute appendicitis, according to NFL Network's Jane Slater.

Per Slater, McCarthy's procedure went "fine."

The team previously announced that while McCarthy was scheduled to undergo a procedure on Wednesday, he is still expected to coach against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.

Under McCarthy's guidance, the Cowboys have been among the NFL's best teams this season, posting a 9-3 record.

McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl during his 13-year stint as head coach of the Green Bay Packers, is in the midst of his fourth season in Dallas.

The Cowboys are 39-23 since McCarthy's arrival, including 12-win seasons and playoff appearances in both 2021 and 2022.

With longtime offensive coordinator Kellen Moore leaving during the offseason to become the Los Angeles Chargers' OC, McCarthy has taken on offensive play-calling duties in addition to being the head coach.

That move has paid dividends, as the Cowboys are fifth in the NFL in total offense with 380.4 total yards per game and first in scoring with 32.3 points per game.

The veteran quarterback is trending toward having the best season of his career, as he is completing 70.1 percent of his passes for 3,234 yards, 26 touchdowns and just six interceptions, putting him in the thick of the NFL MVP race.

Additionally, wide receiver CeeDee Lamb has been among the league's most productive wideouts with 90 catches for 1,182 yards and seven touchdowns.

Even the defense has been elite this season under McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, ranking third in total yards allowed per game and fourth in points allowed.

Despite all of that, the Cowboys are still only second in the NFC East behind the 10-2 Eagles.

That means Sunday night's game is massive both for Dallas' chances of winning the NFC East and securing the No. 1 seed and a first-round playoff bye in the NFC.

Since the Eagles beat the Cowboys previously, they will have a two-game lead plus the tiebreaker if they win again on Sunday, whereas the teams will be tied if Dallas prevails.

McCarthy has been paramount to the Cowboys' success this season, and the fact that he is still expected to coach Sunday despite surgery is a huge positive for Dallas in its pursuit of a division title.