NFC Notes: Saquon Barkley, Brian Daboll, Mike McCarthy, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants

Cowboys

• Cowboys LB Micah Parsons said he doesn’t need surgery to repair a nagging wrist injury and that he will be fine going forward. (Calvin Watkins)
• Dallas owner Jerry Jones was asked if available candidates will go into the decision on HC Mike McCarthy’s future: “Not a lot. That is a big key. But in this particular case, that is not a big factor.” (Jon Machota)
• Jones was also asked about Jon Gruden: “I just don’t have any comment there at all. Jon is a friend, and let’s leave it at that.” (Machota)
• Jones had previously talked about whether Week 18 would determine anyone’s future on the coaching staff: “The hay is in the barn as far as our staff is concerned. … I don’t think something would happen out here Sunday that would impact where we’re gonna be as we go forward.” (Machota)
• McCarthy said he has not had any conversations with Jones about any of the staff’s future. (Machota)
• McCarthy elaborated: “We have not had conversations and I do just anticipate that we’ll stay on a schedule that’s similar to what we’ve done in the past. That would mean we would start our meetings next week and go through the evaluation process.” (Machota)

• Cowboys WR Jalen Brooks was fined $5,083 for Unnecessary Roughness (late hit), DL Osa Odighizuwa was fined $16,883 for Roughing the Passer (late hit), CB Troy Pride was fined $5,198 for Unnecessary Roughness (late hit), OL Tyler Smith was fined $11,817 for Unnecessary Roughness (striking/kicking/kneeing), and OL Terence Steele was fined $11,817 for Unnecessary Roughness (low block) in Week 17.

Eagles

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley rested in Week 18, meaning he would not break Hall of Fame RB Eric Dickerson‘s single-season rushing record. He posted a video on social media criticizing former Eagles RB LeSean McCoy for referring to him as “grandpa” and saying he hates players who get close to breaking his record.

“I love running backs, I’m a running back. My favorite player was OJ Simpson. I’ve always said OJ did it in 14 games, I did it in 15, one extra game. I would never hate on another running back, that’s not me,” Dickerson said, via Pro Football Talk. “If he broke the record, brother, I ain’t going to lose any sleep over that, but am I cheering for someone to break my record? No, I don’t think anybody does. If you have a record and you want somebody to break it, that’s on you. I’m different, I’m old school.”

“I never thought he reached his full potential in New York,” Dickerson said of Barkley. “I’m glad to see him in Philadelphia. I’m glad to see him get 2,000 yards. So don’t say I’m hating on running backs. If you know your history, look up what I said about OJ. OJ had it in 14, I did it in 15. That’s what I think of the running back position.”

• Eagles S Sydney Brown was fined $6,981 for Unnecessary Roughness (late hit) in Week 17.

Giants

Giants WR Darius Slayton thinks the organization should give HC Brian Daboll another shot in 2025 to see if he can “really get things rolling.” 

“I think so,” Slayton said, via Paul Schwartz of The New York Post. “It’s been three years, I think another year to try to give him a chance to really get things rolling would be warranted.”

Wan’Dale Robinson said it would hurt him to see Daboll and GM Joe Schoen get released this offseason given that they drafted him.

“If Joe and Dabes are gone, those are the guys that drafted me, so yeah, it definitely would affect me,”  Robinson said. “But at the end of the day, still got to make this thing work.”

Slayton understands the nature of business in the NFL and acknowledged Joe Judge‘s final days as head coach in 2021. 

“Ultimately, it’s up to the ownership and what they decide,” said Slayton. “It’s a tough business and just like there’s tough decisions made on players, there’s tough decisions made on coaches. I remember when Joe Judge got fired, he didn’t get fired and then the next day he came into meetings and he was fired. You just never know.

• Daboll says he brought up not calling plays next season with John Mara: “Going to consider every option to try to be better.” (Charlotte Carroll)
• Giants LB Bobby Okereke said that he has a herniated disk, which is why he wound up on injured reserve. (Connor Hughes)
• Meanwhile, S Tyler Nubin had tight-rope surgery for the high-ankle sprain he suffered in Week 14. Giants OL Jon Runyan also had tight-rope surgery for a high-ankle sprain, as well as surgery to repair a torn deltoid ligament on his inner ankle which was also injured in Week 14. (Dan Duggan)