Cowboys Rumors: Contract Year Didn't Sit Well with McCarthy, 'No Real Negotiation'

The Dallas Cowboys are currently one of six NFL teams looking for a new head coach, and that comes down—at least partially—to the mismanagement of the Mike McCarthy situation after letting him coach the 2024 season as a pending free agent.

Albert Breer of SI.com offered more on McCarthy's side of the coin, between not receiving an extension offer before the season to the contract talks after it:

"For his part, McCarthy didn't complain about any of it. In talking with him over the summer, and again in the fall, he kept saying that this wasn't much different than having a pending free agent in a prominent role on your team—it just so happened that, in this case, the contract-year person in question was the head coach. But, as I've heard it for a few months, the way it was handled didn't sit well with McCarthy, or the members of his staff looking ahead at their own uncertain futures. Then, in the days leading up to the Jan. 14 expiration of McCarthy's contract, my understanding is that while there was discussion, there was no real negotiation."

Whether the Cowboys should have brought McCarthy back isn't necessarily the main issue at play. During his time in Dallas, he led the team to a 49-35 record and three playoff berths in five seasons but won just one playoff game and showed little indication that he could get the Cowboys over the hump. There was a basis for moving on.

But the lack of decisiveness after the season cost the Cowboys eight days to interview other coaching candidates around the league, namely the assistants on the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs, and also prevented McCarthy from interviewing elsewhere. It was a situation that was undeniably mishandled by team owner Jerry Jones.

A change of scenery probably was in the best interest for both parties. But some breakups are handled better than others.