McCarthy's exit, interview or end-of-season, press conference
or whatever. We want to call it. It was anything. But
a farewell in his mind every coach, every coach
is confident that he's still the coach
until he isn't. And I'm not saying McCarthy's going to be
out, but I wouldn't have expected him to behave any
differently today. If the Joneses are thinking about
making a change, and I don't know that they are, I've argued
all week long that they should take a step back and have
Have an objective process and ask themselves if
Mike McCarthy has taken them
as far as he can.
If so time for a change. If not time to reload. I think it's
that simple. Shireen. The question is, are they engaging
in that analysis?
Yeah, you know, I was convinced then. You know, I've said this
all along the last two or three weeks that I thought there was
a chance that they could fire Mike McCarthy after the season,
if they went one and done
and they did go one and done. They were the only home team to
lose in the postseason. The only favorite to lose in
the postseason. So you would think that there would at least be
a question in the Joneses mind about Mike McCarthy future, but
then after
listening to Jerry Jones in that scrum after the game,
I was convinced that he thinks that Mike McCarthy is a right
coach for the Cowboys. And Stephen Jones reiterated that
on the radio on Monday. So I'm convinced that Mike
McCarthy now is back for another year.
He will go into the 2022 season, assuming he is truly
back as the hottest coach on the hot seat, that seat will be
so hot for him. But one thing about it, Mike,
we do know, the Joneses do not like paying off coaches. Jerry
is cheap and a lot of things. And I think that probably plays
a part in his His mind to
could you just put him to work on the yacht.
Couldn't I'm I mean it seriously
when you think of the obscene
money that he spends
has spent on buying the yacht and does spend monthly
to maintain the yacht with a full crew of dozens of employees.
Why would you ever
hesitate to buy out a coach? If you think the coach isn't
getting it done, that is amazing. To me. That's the one
area where he has something in common with Mike Brown,
the owner of the Bangles. They
To pay coaches to not work and he hates to do it. Even if it's
the right thing to do. And I'm not saying it's the right thing
to do,
I'm saying they owe it to themselves and they do to their
fan base to engage in an objective analysis. The same
analysis that Mike McCarthy will engage in, as it relates
to his players. The Joneses
will, as well. They're the ones who actually run the show, but
McCarthy will have input on, who should come back? Who
should get a contract? Who should be cut? Who should be
traded. He'll do it objectively based upon their performance.
It's only fair that the head coach
who ultimately is
judged by wins and losses be in the same boat. Now,
Shereen. I think that one thing that could happen, haven't
written this yet. It's on my list of things to get to today.
It's a concept that doesn't get used. Very often. We have
discussed it among the PFT staff. It could happen in
Dallas. He could happen in Tampa Bay this year.
It happened with Eric DeCosta,
the GM of the Ravens before Ozzie, Newsome retired. It
happened with Jim Caldwell who became the head coach of
the Colts after Tony Dungy. Tired. And it happened with
Jim Mora. Who was the one year coach of the Seahawks, after
Mike Holmgren retired? The agreement in advance, firm
written commitment that a current member of the staff
will become the head coach or the GM
at a certain date in the future or
more specifically when the current coach is done. Whenever
that may be, that is an exception. A clear exception to
the Rooney Rule. You don't have to engage in a search. If you
do all of that in advance,
the teams have the right to do it. It doesn't get discussed.
Just much. I get the feeling the league office, doesn't want
the teams to remember that it can be done because they'd
rather they engage in a full search for every opening and
not take advantage of that exception.
But we've confirmed that exception applies.
That would be their answer.
Keep Kellen Moore who's a hot commodity
and give him the commitment that he becomes the head coach
whenever they're done with Mike McCarthy, whether it's after
20, 22, 23 24, whenever
Yeah, you know my I'm not convinced that Kellen Moore is
going to be a great head coach, but I do think that Jerry sees
him as his Sean Payton. That is one of Jerry Jones. Has biggest
regrets is letting Sean Payton leave. Now Sean turned down
the Raiders job and came back
to the Cowboys but then left for New Orleans before Bill
Parcells retired. They could have done that with him.
And so he wouldn't have gone to New Orleans would have stayed
in Dallas, and we know how much Jerry thinks of Sean and Sean
thinks. Of
Jerry, so I think that Jerry sees Kellam Wars the next Sean
Payton. I have questions about whether he is. I don't know
what they've seen to know that he's the next Sean. Payton, but
maybe we didn't know Sean, Payton was Sean Payton either
until he went to New Orleans and won a Super Bowl. So
I do think they're convinced though that Kellen Moore is
the next head coach of the team. They're probably going to lose
Dan Quinn maybe to Denver. They can start over with
the defensive coordinator. But I think that's something that
they could use with Kellen Moore
now. You keep that from Mike McCarthy or does Mike McCarthy
know about that? That puts him on even hotter seat, if that's
the case, if he finds out, they've done this with Kellen
Moore
well, and let's pivot to the Sean Payton possibility because
we mentioned this yesterday on PFT live either yesterday, or
the day before. And it's mentioned in Playmakers which
comes out March, 15. Pre-order. Now, wherever you can pre-order
your books,
Sean Payton, nearly became the coach of the Cowboys a few
years ago, and the reason why it It didn't happen, will blow
your mind. That's not a fake tease. It blew my mind when
I found out about it. It will blow your mind when you find
out about it, but I'm not telling you about it
because I want you to buy the book and sure. You don't you
say what it is. If you've read it. I don't think you have.
I know that you have. It's there.
She hasn't read it. She doesn't know what I'm talking about.
Maybe she does, but but
if you're going to go after Sean, Payton,
you,
you have to know you're going to get him before. You release
the bird in the hand. That's the challenge. There's a lot of
backroom stuff that needs to go down
that violates the spirit of the Rooney Rule
where you line up, what the compensation would be for Sean.
Payton, you line up with the contract would be for Sean
Payton. Then you fire Mike McCarthy. Then you engage in
a open search then after you've done your search you throw your
hands in the air and you do a trade for Sean Payton, even
though the trade for Sean Payton's in place
before you ever fired Mike McCarthy.
So my point is this,
if Jerry Jones is plotting something like that and now
would be the time. I'm not look, I'm not saying it's gonna
happen.
I'm saying it almost happened once
and you look where the Cowboys are right. Now,
you look where the Saints are right now,
the planets are aligning.
I'm not saying it's gonna happen, I'm saying from
the standpoint of, this would be a time where it would make sense.
Don't know that it's going to happen, don't know? It'll never
happen again. Don't know that it's even going to be
considered. All I'm saying is
it's not something that would trigger
immediate firing of Mike McCarthy.
They would have to get everything lined up
then fire McCarthy. So that would take some time
that would take, I don't know a week
two weeks. I don't know
but we could see a delayed reaction firing of McCarthy. If
they think they can eventually get Peyton that all has to
happen behind. The scenes before they would fire
McCarthy.
And Sean Payton would have his quarterback and would be back
in Dallas where he still has a home. All those things. We know
how much shot Sean Payton thinks of this place. And
I think it's underused Mike, the idea of training for a head
coach because to me
number one in winning is your quarterback. Number two in
winning is your coach, and I just think coach makes such
a huge difference. In, in my mind.
Sean Payton's, one of the best coaches in the NFL. He's one of
the best offensive Minds in the NFL. I can't imagine what he
would do, if he had Dak Prescott. I I think it would be
a match made in heaven. And if you are looking to change
coaches at that, something on your mind, I would definitely
look at trading some draft picks to get me a head coach
like, Sean, Payton, who's done it.
You know what he is. He's been here
20 years ago, took two first-round, picks two
second-round picks, and 8 million in cash to get Jon
Gruden away from the Raiders to the Buccaneers at a time. When
Gruden had one year left on his contract, in Oakland. It was
a great
windfall for the Raiders and it was kind of at the point. Where
Al Davis was
kind of done. Wanted to move on. Gruden was becoming
a little too big to the brand. You know, Al Davis was
the center of the universe. Gruden was becoming the center of
the universe. It just worked out perfectly.
My point is this, whatever you give up to get the coach. If
it's truly a great coach and I'm more and more convinced,
the more I cover the NFL, think about it, watch it talk to
people,
there's a handful of great coaches and there's everybody else.
If you can get a great coach.
I don't care what it cost by way of draft picks. You have a
Known commodity who was going to come in and transform your
team and get the most out of who you have and we talk about
it all the time, as it relates to what, coaches, get paid.
They don't get paid nearly enough in relation to what
their value is, 33 and a half million for Jared, Goff 33 and
a half million for Sean, Payton or Bill Belichick, or one of
the other great coaches in the NFL.
Hmm. Let me think. What's the better dollar for dollar deal?
What's the better return on my investment for my team? It's
a no-brainer.
It's a no-brainer.
So, if you're not paying the coach, what you paid, you
Bergdorf, give up a couple of first-round draft picks. No,
big deal because your coach is going to make up for it.
Especially if you're coach has an eye for personnel, like
Belichick,
like Peyton and like some of the other
high-end great coaches have
Yeah, no question Mike, and I wouldn't put Mike McCarthy in
that class of coaches that were talking about. I know, he leans
on that. Super Bowl championship that he's won with
Aaron Rodgers, but in the ten season since he's five and
seven. He's missed
the playoffs three of the last four seasons that he's coached,
two of those in Green Bay, two of those in Dallas, 2930. 2930
one. And one in those Four Seasons. I think one of those
Seasons. He did.
Miss Aaron Rodgers her part of that season. Nonetheless. A any
missed that Prescott last season I get all That plays
into it, but still a losing record in the last four years.
Miss the playoffs three of the last four and just laid that
egg. That just is what sticks is that egg that the Cowboys
laid on Sunday and in Dallas-Fort Worth? I mean
the talk is still
Cowboys choke and Mike McCarthy and let's get rid of Mike with
everywhere you go, everywhere. I've been this week. It's
is Mike McCarthy going to be back as a head coach and when
you say yes, I think so.
They are not happy. See these fans.
They say curse words. They say profanity. They say words that
we can't utter here. That's what happens. That's what
happens. Trust me, Cowboys, fans are ready
to move on. But whether it's something as simple as
Jerry Jones doesn't want to admit, he's wrong. Jerry, Jones
doesn't want to pay the buyout, whatever the case may be.
They're not moving on unless behind the scenes. Mmm. Unless,
let's just watch and wait. Let's have some fun. Let's
enjoy the play. Laughs, and let's just watch and wait, you
never know,
with the NFL stranger things, have happened,
just this.