Troy Aikman drops Mike McCarthy bombshell right before Cowboys-Bengals

Even though the Dallas Cowboys are about to kickoff against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday Night Football, the future of head coach Mike McCarthy was a prominent talking point on 105.3 The Fan's pregame show.

Calling the game for ESPN alongside Joe Buck, Troy Aikman made a guest appearance and discussed numerous pertinent matters. Aikman emphatically stated that Joe Burrow is his favorite quarterback in the NFL and maybe his favorite player of all-time.

With the Cowboys staring down the barrel of a losing season, Aikman was asked about McCarthy's future. A longtime McCarthy supporter, Aikman dropped perhaps the biggest hint yet that McCarthy will be back at the helm in 2025 regardless of how the season concludes.

Troy Aikman thinks Cowboys will keep Mike McCarthy in 2025

"Short of Bill Belichick, I don't know who you're going to bring in that has a better resume. ... I just feel that for a team that I really do not think is that far away ... I like the way this team is playing right now, even without their franchise quarterback," Aikman said, via The Athletic's Jon Machota.

"I sense that it's a team that really believes in Mike McCarthy. I feel the locker room wants him back. I think he's a really good football coach. I believe Jerry Jones thinks he's a really good football coach, too. ... As we stand and talk right now, I expect Mike McCarthy to be back in 2025."

As much as Cowboys fans want him to replace Jerry Jones as general manager, Aikman does not currently work for the team. It stands to reason he doesn't boast any insider information, but his relationship with the franchise and grasp of the sport make his belief that McCarthy will be back in 2025 very notable.

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Aikman hit the nail on the head that the locker room still believes in McCarthy. They could have laid down after falling to 3-7. They've won two division games in a row and were competitive in the first half against the playoff-bound Eagles and Texans before the talent discrepancy reared its head. This is a team that still believes it can make the playoffs.

It's hard to tell when Jones is posturing to the media, but he has praised McCarthy at most corners, even amid adversity. Jones had every reason to hand McCarthy his walking papers after the Cowboys' fifth-straight loss and thought better of it.

The front office may understand that McCarthy was put in an impossible position this season. Between an injury crisis that refuses to let up and Dallas spending the least money of any team in the offseason, this roster was never going to win 12 games for a fourth year in a row.

Many Cowboys fans would like to see the team make a change, but they might need to brace themselves for McCarthy's return. Aikman's opinion is as respected as it gets and Jones sure as heck values it.

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