Dak Prescott always gave Mike McCarthy a vote of confidence and kept it up while the head coach was walking out the door.
Monday proved to be no different when the head coach was let go by the Cowboys after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract ahead of his current deal expiring.
“Bummed, because we built some things,” Prescott told ALL DLLS reporter Clarence HIll in a text exchange about McCarthy’s departure. “But I guess they couldn’t reach an agreement. SMH.”
He went on to describe the 61-year-old as “a great coach and hell of a man,” and shouldered the “responsibility for our team being in this position.”
Throughout a playoff-less 7-10 season plagued by injuries, including a season-ending aliment to Prescott in Week 9, the quarterback had been open about his wish for McCarthy to stay with the franchise.
“Your coach seems like he’s playing on his last contract and [I’m] almost feeling helpless like I can’t help him in this situation, especially a guy you believe in so much and you believe in being your head coach,” Prescott said in December after suffering the hamstring injury. “Control what I can control, help and support Mike to every extent that I can.”
“I believe in him wholeheartedly,” he added. “I don’t want to necessarily get into the nuts and the screws of it all obviously, but I think he definitely deserves a chance — another contract and a chance to coach this team amongst more influence. ‘On his terms’ may be a good way to say it. But I wholeheartedly believe in him.”
The Cowboys made the playoffs each of the previous three seasons under McCarthy, going 12-5 three years in a row, but won one playoff game during that span.
Owner Jerry Jones has been adamant about the need for a championship — something the Cowboys haven’t seen since 1995 — and after what he called a “joint review,” the franchise decided it was time to part ways.
“Over the past week, Mike and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team…” Jones said. “Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”
Former Cowboy and current University of Colorado head coach Deion Sanders spoke with Jones about the opening, while former Dallas тιԍнт end Jason Witten has been mentioned as a possible candidate.
