Cowboys' Jerry Jones Calls Mike McCarthy an 'Outstanding Coach' amid Belichick Buzz

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is entering the final year of his contract as his team prepares for the 2024 campaign, but team owner Jerry Jones didn't sound like someone eager to find a new coach in 2025.

"Mike McCarthy is an outstanding coach," Jones said during a Wednesday interview with ESPN's Stephen A. Smith (one-hour, four-minute mark). "We've had 12-win seasons for the last three years. … I'll tell you firsthand, he's got outstanding ways with players. He's an outstanding coach. As hard a working coach as I've ever been around."

McCarthy and quarterback Dak Prescott are each entering the last year of their contracts, and Jones said this is "just the way that I wanted to do it so that we could basically speak to fans, teams, everybody involved. We're putting things on the line."

Dallas is "putting things on the line" with plenty of pressure to overcome recent playoff failures, as it hasn't advanced past the second round since the 1995 campaign and has one postseason win in the last three years despite a combined record of 36-15.

And if the Cowboys fail once again in the playoffs, arguably the best coach in NFL history could be available in Bill Belichick.

Belichick is working in the media and not as a coach this season, but he has long been seen as a potential candidate for Jones' club. McCarthy surely feels the pressure, which may be part of Jones' overall approach.

For now, the focus is on the present with the Cowboys.

But there could be plenty of questions at coach and quarterback if this year doesn't go as hoped.