The Dallas Cowboys didn't die on the vine as many expected them to after Cooper Rush led the team to a 7-9 campaign in 2024, but they likely didn't do enough to prevent much-maligned head coach Mike McCarthy from avoiding the possibility of losing his job in the offseason.
With the Eagles poised to rule over the division for quite a while and the Commanders suddenly turning things around in Jayden Daniels' rookie season, the Cowboys need to make a very drastic change if they want to avoid ending up crushed underneath the weight of those two titans.
Firing McCarthy seems like it is a bit more up in the air than it had previously seemed, but the Cowboys should still remain undeterred despite their late-season wins. Firing McCarthy may not even be as chaotic as a full-scale rebuild may seem from the outside.
According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, most of McCarthy's assistant coaches are on expiring contracts, which could make it easier for the front office to sweep everyone out. That may be a better option than bringing back all of McCarthy's sycophants on cheap one-year deals.
Cowboys' coaching contracts make it easier for Cowboys to dump Mike McCarthy
Brian Schottenheimer may be the nominal offensive coordinator, but he doesn't even call the plays. After a fairly lackluster NFL resume was not significantly enhanced after his Dallas tenure, it seems unlikely that teams will be falling over themselves to secure his services in the offseason.
Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer has had a very up-and-down season in his return to Dallas. While he did call some good games, and injuries made it tough for him to fully implement his ideal defense this season, it also became quite clear that he is not a guy the Cowboys need to retain no matter what.
Dallas can't change the front office, because Jerry Jones is going to his grave with an ironclad grip on all things Cowboys, A quarterback swap is out of the question after Dak Prescott's contract. The best way to meaningfully shake things up would be to clean out the coaching staff.
McCarthy hasn't necessarily done a bad job as Cowboys head coach, especially considering the injuries he's had, but he has, without question, had a disappointing tenure in Dallas. The sooner the Cowboys move off him, the sooner they can figure out their next plan to become a contender again.