Rich Eisen thinks Cowboys’ Jerry Jones likes a ‘Hunger Games atmosphere’

If you missed Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy’s interview with Rich Eisen on Tuesday, I highly recommend you listen to it. McCarthy is finally given the platform to respond to owner Jerry Jones constantly throwing out contradicting statements about his future as the Cowboys head coach. McCarthy said he tries to turn a blind eye to that type of narrative, but admitted that it is bizarre to hear stuff like this from your team’s owner.

Eisen, who has been a prominent broadcaster in the NFL for several years, seemed to be baffled by his conversation with McCarthy. After the head coach hung up from the interview, Eisen broke down the conversation with TJ Jefferson even further. Eisen and his co-host seemed appalled by the fact that Jones had a conversation with his head coach about the potential of Sean Payton being the Cowboys coach in the future.

While McCarthy continued to say “it’s part and parcel of what goes on here,” Eisen seemed to think that the wishy-washy comments from Jones went beyond the typical drama you get from being a head coach. Eisen said he doesn’t necessarily think all of this is because Jones likes to be in the news so much. He thinks Jones gets satisfaction out of putting pressure on people.

"“I think he kind of likes a little Hunger Games type atmosphere. I think he digs that. I think he thinks it keeps people on their toes. And certainly, after he had [Jason] Garrett there for a long time, I think he digs that. I also think he digs that there are head coaches that want to be the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys”"

After Jerry Jones told reporters that Mike McCarthy knows someone else will coach the Cowboys one day, Rich Eisen said he thinks the Cowboys owner likes to have a Hunger Games environment

In other words, Jones wants people to constantly feel pressured and like they could be gone at any given time. You never know who is on your side and who is about to put an arrow in your back. And, Eisen isn’t entirely wrong. Many believe that Jones stirring up drama in his organization is causing more issues than the coaching staff itself.

Eisen also said the thing that got him the most was that the owner’s comments that many of his coordinators stay around (Payton and Garrett for example) in hopes of being the head coach of the Cowboys, was on the team’s website. Jones wanted his organization to publish that for his head coach to see. The website also published the GM’s quotes about how Dan Quinn would be an excellent candidate for head coach of his team.

It appears Jones is trying to prove to people that they need to feel more pressure and be scared about their jobs. While you obviously want your coaches to know they need to succeed, it’s hard to understand why you would want your coach to ever feel such uncertainty about his role and future with the team.

Eisen said, “If I’m Mike McCarthy, I am going to go to the boss and saying ‘are we good or what?’” Especially given the fact that one of the men who is apparently in line for McCarthy’s job is his defensive coordinator! Another day, another story about Jones stirring the pot.