For the Cowboys, the decision to retain coach Mike McCarthy is the beginning, not the end.
Both parties will have to negotiate a contract. And the Cowboys may not want to make the same five-year commitment they made when they hired McCarthy in 2020.
Some in league circles believe owner Jerry Jones will push for something as short as a one-year deal, or possibly a multi-year deal with just one or two years guaranteed.
What is McCarthy’s alternative from the team’s perspective? If he says no and the Cowboys start looking for a new coach, will McCarthy end up elsewhere? Only the Bears requested permission to interview him this week, and the Bears are interviewing a host of candidates.
Unless McCarthy already knows someone else will hire him right, he could be out of luck.
It would be a risky move for Jones. But as we know, Jones doesn’t like paying coaches not to work. He prefers flexibility. And he was already prepared to let McCarthy coach as a lame duck in 2024.
Whether it’s one against five or two against four, contract will be key. And if Jerry hopes to give the Eagles an edge by leaking and/or announcing the deal during Sunday’s playoff game between the Packers and the Eagles, the clock is ticking.
