NFC Notes: Cowboys, Giants, Washington

Cowboys

Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy said he isn’t worried about how this year’s playoff loss will impact his public job status.

“I think for people in this profession, it’s accepted,” McCarthy said, via Todd Archer. “It’s part of the job. I get that. I understand why you’re asking the question. It’s part of the job. You have a job to do, and I have a job to do here today in answering your questions appropriately and respectfully. But, yeah, I don’t put a lot into it because I know personally what I put into this.

“I understand what goes on here every day. I know how to win. I know how to win in this league. I know how to win playoff games. I know how to win a championship. So I have great confidence in that. What we’ve built here in two seasons, I feel very good about, and I think with that you just stay true to that. The hard part is the personal. We all have kids, so that’s the part that I don’t like. I would hope people are respectful to that.”

McCarthy also defended the Cowboys’ final play vs. San Francisco.

• According to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, Cowboys defensive passing game coordinator and secondary coach Joe Whitt Jr. would be a candidate to be promoted to defensive coordinator if DC Dan Quinn gets a head coaching job.
• Former Vikings HC Mike Zimmer could also be an outside candidate to replace Quinn. (Brian Broaddus)

Giants

• According to SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants requested an interview with Cowboys DC Dan Quinn because a lot of teams are interested in him and they want him to be an option for the new GM.
• Fansided’s Matt Lombardo notes that league sources think Bills assistant GM Joe Schoen might have former Dolphins HC Brian Flores atop his head coach shortlist if he gets the Giants’ GM job. Bills OC Brian Daboll is also linked heavily to Schoen. 
• Albert Breer of SI adds that fellow Giants GM finalists Adam Peters and Ryan Poles have both worked with Flores during their time with the Patriots.
• Not only has Giants ST coordinator Thomas McGaughey interviewed for vacancies in the same role with the Chargers and Panthers, but he’s also high on the list of several head coaching candidates for when they fill out their staffs. (Lombardo)

Washington

Washington RB J.D. McKissic has drawn praise from both teammates and coaches this season, with WR Terry McLaurin and RB coach Randy Jordan being the most recent to applaud the veteran for his leadership and pass-catching skills.

“He doesn’t seem like he has a bad day,” McLaurin said, via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “Then the player that he is, he’s just so unselfish and he does whatever the team asks him to do, whether it’s pass block, whether it’s to take carries out the backfield or catch passes, which he’s really good at. He’s a great leader for those guys being a veteran in this league.”

“To me, he’s probably one of the best pass-catching running backs, or I would just say football players, off of the catch and transitioning,” Jordan said of McKissic. “You throw a ball out to him, and it’s a simple little smoke route, and he’s able to catch it and turn and get you five or six [yards] before you even know it. … We can kind of use them as a chess piece and move them around and try to get matchups whenever we possibly can.”

• Washington OT Charles Leno three-year contract includes a $9 million signing bonus and $17 million guaranteed. He’ll count for $8.5 million against the cap in 2022, $12.5 million in 2023 with $3.75 million of his base salary guaranteed for injury at signing, and $14.5 million in 2024.  (John Keim)