Following the first wave of NFL free agency in 2023, we’re at that point in the offseason where many reporters make their top predictions. Of course, the Draft is the first focus of said tops. However, there are those who already give their opinions on what could happen with the different coaches in the league in the next season.
And, in that section, Mike McCarthy could once again be in the “hot seat”.
At least that’s what Gary Davenport, a reporter for the Bleacher Report, thinks. In a recent articleDavenport released a list of head coaches whose tenure would be at risk in 2023. That list includes coaches like Brandon Staley (Chargers), Arthur Smith (Falcons), Ron Rivera (Commanders) and Kevin Stefanski (Browns). , among others.
One surprising name to be there, however, is Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy. This, it is worth noting, despite the fact that his team had a better performance in 2023 if we compare it with what happened with his colleagues on said list.
NFL Coaches, GMs on Hot Seat Ahead of 2023 Draft
— Gary Davenport (@IDPSharks) March 25, 2023
“Despite going 24-10 in the past two seasons as Cowboys, Mike McCarthy is a regular on lists like this.”Davenport noted. “Accumulating regular season wins is not the goal in Dallas, and neither is making the playoffs. The goal is the same every year: win the Super Bowl.”
It’s true that McCarthy’s numbers in Dallas have been positive the past two seasons. He even had the cowboy team close to the playoffs in 2020, this despite the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott and many key players. However, for the Bleacher Report journalist, this could not be enough to generate peace of mind about his continuity.
“The Cowboys haven’t played in a NFC finals in nearly three decades, and McCarthy is 1-2 in the postseason.”Davenport added. “If Mike McCarthy’s squad gets knocked out again at the start of the playoffs in 2023 (or doesn’t make it), it could stop being his team.”
These types of predictions and projections in the offseason, with nothing at stake and without seeing how the reinforcements work in each team, are usually simply filler material in the media. We already saw how, in 2022, both the Broncos and the Raiders were projected to be one of the best teams in the league seeing their reinforcements and their new coaches. However, what happened during the season was totally different.
Now, Mike McCarthy will be in a particular situation in 2023: his future now depends more on himself. Following the departure of offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, McCarthy will now call Dallas’ offensive plays going forward. A role that, let’s remember, he had during twelve of his thirteen seasons in command of the Green Bay Packers.
Besides, the cowboy head coach might be a little calmer than he was in 2022, at least on paper. Recall that last year, the availability of Sean Payton as a potential replacement kept the pressure on McCarthy throughout the season. Now, with Payton as HC of the Denver Broncos, that pressure is off. At least not with a candidate with immediate availability.
Finally, McCarthy appears to have the absolute confidence of Jerry Jones, the team’s owner and general manager. Due to this, the leadership was open to changes in the body of assistants and offensive coordinator for the next season. Jones even made it clear that he intended McCarthy to be in Dallas for as long as legendary cowboy head coach Tom Landry.
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy said that Jerry Jones has told him he wants McCarthy to coach here in Dallas as long as Tom Landry did.
Three years down, 26 to go. pic.twitter.com/z0FyWYcItJ
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 26, 2023
Despite the aforementioned Bleacher Report article, it doesn’t seem like Mike McCarthy is in the “hot seat” right now. In the end, you have to give him credit for the crisis management he had during last season, which many already considered lost after Dak Prescott’s injury in week 1. However, each season is different and unpredictable in a certain way. extent. Therefore, it will be until then that we will see if McCarthy will be in real risk of dismissal or not.
