Jerry Jones Says He Won’t Make Coaching Change During Season

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters that he doesn’t plan to make a coaching change during the season, despite the team’s disappointing performance. 

“Yes, I believe that,” Jones said when asked whether he’ll retain HC Mike McCarthy through the end of the season. “I don’t believe we’ll make a coaching change during the season.”

Jones previously fired Wade Phillips during the 2010 season, but he told reporters that it’s a move he regrets. 

“I changed coaches in the season with Wade and have always regretted it,” Jones said. “As a matter of fact, I made a change with Chan Gailey after two years. I regretted that. That’s not enough. You need to give yourself a chance. I’ve had a lot more rope than that in my time.”

McCarthy entered the season on the hot seat whether Jones would confirm as much or not and the team’s performance makes it seem like a foregone conclusion that Dallas will be back in the market for a head coach next January. 

“Mike’s a heck of a coach. He’s a great coach in my mind and has and should have the opportunity to do better than we’re playing right now,” Jones said. “Like I said, I haven’t had a good experience changing coaches in the middle of the season.”

“Everybody’s got a hand in this,” Jones said. “We all know that the players play the game, and we know the closest ones to them are the coaches, and the closest ones to them are the people that hire the coaches. So, everybody’s got a role in this. Everyone does.

“By the way, that’s no solace to have somebody step up here and say to the fans, ‘That’s my fault. I’ll take this one.’ What does that do? That doesn’t win the ball game. I’m not trying to put that BS out either.”

McCarthy, 61, began his NFL coaching career with the Chiefs back in 1993 as an offensive quality control coordinator. He bounced around with the Packers, Saints and 49ers before the Packers hired him as their head coach in 2006.

The Packers made the decision to move on from McCarthy following their disappointing loss to the Cardinals in Week 13 of 2018. He was out of football in 2019 before being hired by the Cowboys in 2020.

During his 13-year tenure in Green Bay, McCarthy led the Packers to a record of 125-77-2 (61.8 percent), which includes nine playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title in 2010.

During his five years in Dallas, McCarthy has led the Cowboys to a record of 45-31 (59.21 percent), which includes three playoff appearances and one win.