After the elimination of the Dan Quinn as new manager”>Cowboys in the playoffs, there was much speculation about the continuity of the coaching staff for the following season. For one thing, Jerry Jones twice refused to talk about continuing Mike McCarthy as head coach last week. In addition, the future of Dan Quinn and Kellen Moore was also in doubt due to the interest of other teams in search of a head coach.
However, the doubts have been clearing up in the last few hours.
Last Thursday, Jori Epstein of USA Today Sports reported according to sources close to the team that Mike McCarthy’s continuity in Dallas would be assured for 2022. That same day, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn announced that he would continue on the cowboy team. This came moments after the Broncos and Bears, strong contenders for Quinn, announced their new coaches earlier that day.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has been told he will return as head coach for the 2022 season, source confirmed. This was expected despite some public ambiguity from team owner Jerry Jones since the Jan. 16 playoff loss. @JoriEpstein first reported the assurance given to McCarthy.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 27, 2022
What is especially striking is the case of McCarthy. Jerry Jones, owner and general manager of the Cowboys, had hinted that the continuity of the head coach was in doubt for the following season. In fact, he had refused to talk about it. But this changed on Friday, with Jones breaking his silence on the matter… and hinting that it was all planned.
“The idea of Mike being in the air was not the case”Jones said this Friday on the program K&C Masterpiece of 105.3 The Fan. “We were just trying to retain Dan Quinn and try to maintain continuity in our coaching staff.”.
Jerry Jones is trying to say that he never definitively said Mike McCarthy would be back for another season as Cowboys head coach last week because it was all part of his plan to keep Dan Quinn on staff
– Jon Machota (onjonmachota) January 28, 2022
Jones’s words on Friday stunned many reporters and analysts, but not because they came as a surprise. By his own logic, the Cowboys owner said he didn’t want to confirm McCarthy’s continuity to prevent Dan Quinn from leaving for another team. Likewise, Jones said that his silence and “annoyance” last week were attitudes misinterpreted by the media.
Either way, Jerry Jones indicated that Mike McCarthy was key in the talks to keep Dan Quinn in Dallas. This was revealed by Jones in an interview for the Dallas Morning News this Friday. In it, it was also learned that Quinn received an important contract extension to continue in his position for several years.
ALERT: Jerry Jones tells Dallas Morning News that Mike McCarthy’s job status was never in question. Said he & McCarthy were working behind the scenes to do all they could retain Dan Quinn.
Quinn has received a multi-year extension to remain as defensive coordinator.
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) January 28, 2022
Now, with the continuity of McCarthy and Quinn assured for this season, the one who remains in doubt is Kellen Moore. For now, the offensive coordinator will have a second interview for the position of head coach of the Dolphins, being one of the finalists. However, Jerry Jones is confident that Moore will also remain in Dallas this year.
McCarthy will have pressure in his third year … and with Sean Payton on the horizon
According to Jerry Jones, Mike McCarthy’s continued tenure as Cowboys head coach was never in doubt. But his silence for almost ten days said the opposite. And even more so after the news of the departure of Sean Payton from the Saints. However, Jones says he hasn’t talked to Payton or considered him as McCarthy’s replacement this year.
“I understand the speculation”Jones told David Moore of the Dallas Morning News on Friday. “Sean is an exceptional coach. But I haven’t talked to him or had anything to do with his departure from New Orleans. He has no place in what I’m doing with regards to our staff.”
Jones to DMN on Sean Payton:
“I understand the speculation. Sean is an outstanding coach. But I haven’t talked to him & am not in any way part of his departure there in New Orleans.
“He didn’t have any place in anything I’m doing regarding our staff.”
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) January 28, 2022
Let’s remember that Sean Payton, who was already part of the Dallas coaching staff between 2003 and 2005, is an old wish of Jerry Jones for the head coaching position. The Cowboys even tried a trade in the 2019 season to get his services. And although McCarthy’s continuity for this year has already been assured, this does not completely silence the rumors.
In fact, Payton’s availability will put extra pressure on Mike McCarthy in his third year in Dallas. After the disappointing way the season ended for the Cowboys and all the mistakes made during it, the head coach is bound to deliver good results in 2022. If not, Payton could be his replacement for the following season. This, of course, depending on what happens in the coming months.
After announcing his departure from the Saints, Payton said he has no plans to take on a coaching job with another team for at least this year. In fact, the coach wants to try his luck as a sports analyst on television. If that comes to pass, it remains to be seen if Payton prefers the income he could earn from such a job over going back to the business of coaching in the NFL.
Despite the “games of confusion” that only Jerry Jones understands in his head, the truth is that the Cowboys already have almost guaranteed the continuity of their entire coaching staff for 2022. For now, it remains to be seen what happens in the coming days. with Kellen Moore. However, all the spotlights in the upcoming season will point to Mike McCarthy. As noted earlier, the head coach is obligated to deliver good results. And more so now that the Cowboys could already have their possible substitute in their sights.
