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On Sunday, Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones turned 82 and hoped his team would give him a win over the Detroit Lions at AT&T Stadium as a birthday gift. But instead, the visitors handed the home team a crushing 47-9 loss, souring his mood.
After the game, Jones talked to reporters and described the blowout loss as "very concerning", "very humbling" and "a shocker."
His somber demeanor prompted questions about whether he would consider firing head coach Mike McCarthy to try and salvage the season. He responded that the 60-year-old's immediate future wasn't under scrutiny.
Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones doubled down on his father's claim, despite Cowboys fans' displeasure. During a phone interview with 105.3 The Fan radio show, he said:
“We got the right kind of guys on the coaching staff. I think we have the right kind of players. Feel like we’ve got the right group here. I don’t necessarily know that raising hell is the answer here.”
Mike McCarthy contract: Cowboys HC's final year in Dallas?
While Jones is resisting firing Mike McCarthy and is backing him and his coaching staff to turn the tide of their underwhelming season so far, there's a possibility he's avoiding it knowing they'd have to reset in the offseason.
The five-year deal the 60-year-old signed with the franchise in 2020 is scheduled to expire at the end of the ongoing season. He was brought in to help the Cowboys end their 24-year wait for a Super Bowl win. Four full seasons in, he's 1-3 in the playoffs, well below the team's expectations.
Dallas' top brass reportedly haven't opened contract talks with the veteran coach, suggesting his future in Dallas hinges on the Cowboys' performance this season. They are 3-3 heading into their bye week and have two weeks to analyze their campaign so far before they face the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium on Sunday Night Football (Oct. 27).
If the Cowboys fail to turn around their season, it could be curtains on McCarthy's time in Dallas.
