Mike McCarthy will return as coach of the Dallas Cowboys after stunning wild-card loss

By SCHUYLER DIXON
AP Pro Football Writer

Mike McCarthy will get another chance to end a nearly three-decade stretch without a deep playoff run for the Dallas Cowboys.

Owner and general manager Jerry Jones said Wednesday night McCarthy will be back for a fifth season as coach after a stunning 48-32 wild-card loss to Green Bay.

The Cowboys were the first No. 7 seed to lose since the 14-team format was adopted in 2020. Dallas surged to the NFC East title in the final two weeks and had a chance for multiple home playoff games.

Instead, McCarthy’s team is the first not to reach a conference title game after three consecutive 12-win playoff seasons.

“There is great benefit to continuing the team’s progress under Mike’s leadership as our head coach,” Jones said in a statement with several references to the disappointment of the playoff loss. “Mike has the highest regular-season winning percentage of any head coach in Cowboys history and we will dedicate ourselves, in partnership with him, to translating that into reaching our postseason goals.”

McCarthy was hired to get Dallas past the divisional round for the first time since the 1995 season, the last of the storied franchise’s five Super Bowl titles.

The 60-year-old won a Super Bowl with Green Bay 13 years ago and reached the NFC championship game three other times in 12-plus seasons leading the Packers.

McCarthy was fired midway through a second consecutive losing season in 2018 in Green Bay. He was out of football in 2019 before Jones hired him. He is 167-102-2 overall and 42-25 with Dallas.

McCarthy has one year remaining on his contract. Jones’ statement made no mention of an extension.

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