Former NFL cornerback Domonique Foxworth believes that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has put head coach Mike McCarthy in a difficult place this season. Speaking on the popular sports show “Get Up,” Foxworth praised McCarthy’s leadership and coaching performance despite the poor statistical campaign for America’s Team.
In recent weeks, fans have been calling for Jones to fire McCarthy, who is in the last year of his current contract, for the team’s struggles this season. At 4-7 this year, and with numerous injuries to key stars such as Dak Prescott and DeMarcus Lawrence, there was a belief that McCarthy could finish the campaign with the Cowboys but not return next season.
Domonique Foxworth Gives Verdict on Mike McCarthy Drama
In the aforementioned video, Foxworth stated how Jones put “McCarthy in a lame duck situation” through his poor roster construction of the team and not offering McCarthy a contract extension in the offseason.
.@Foxworth24 thinks it would be "reasonable" for the Cowboys to bring back Mike McCarthy 👀 pic.twitter.com/PPqd8ZTMdn
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 27, 2024
Though this may be an unpopular opinion in Dallas and around the NFL, it does raise interesting points that are worth analyzing further.
Did Jerry Jones Set Up McCarthy for Failure This Season?
While it’s easy to point the blame squarely at McCarthy for the on-field struggles this season, there are many factors outside the coach’s control that have fueled the abysmal performance. As owner but also general manager, many believe Jones is as deserving, if not more, of criticism for his role in the struggles.
In the offseason, the Cowboys decided against bringing in a noteworthy running back through free agency or the NFL Draft after the departure of Tony Pollard, instead deciding that an RB room of Rico Dowdle, Ezekiel Elliott, and later Dalvin Cook would be sufficient.
Furthermore, when asked about the prospects of adding superstar Derrick Henry through free agency, Jones stated, “I don’t know if he’d be having a career year in our situation.”
Regarding McCarthy directly, Jones opted against offering a new contract to the former Super Bowl champion head coach. In the modern NFL, it is extremely rare to see a head coach managing a club in the final year of their contract, especially after earning the No. 2 seed in the conference the season prior.
Nevertheless, McCarthy has had his share of poor decisions and is, as head coach, responsible for the hardship. Foxworth’s comments outline how there are external forces at play that have negatively impacted the Cowboys’ season as well.