Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy gave an update to the media on Friday after undergoing emergency surgery this week.
On Wednesday, McCarthy was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and went into emergency surgery.
In his absence, the Cowboys’ coordinators, Brian Schottenheimer, Dan Quinn, and John Fassel, took over his responsibilities at The Star in Frisco.
Per Cowboys PR:
Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy experienced abdominal pain this morning that warranted further evaluation and resulted in a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. He is currently slated for surgery this afternoon, expected to be released later today, and…
— Jess Nevarez (@JessNevarez_) December 6, 2023
The Latest Update From Mike McCarthy
McCarthy said he felt like he had a stomach virus for a while and had rough nights on Monday and Tuesday.
He then went to work on Wednesday and asked the team’s medical staff to check him out. At that point, they determined the best decision was to go to the nearby hospital to get a scan out of precaution.
The scan then determined McCarthy was dealing with acute appendicitis, which required immediate surgery.
All week, the team fully anticipated McCarthy to return from post-op and to the sidelines for Sunday’s game against the Eagles.
According to McCarthy, he fully expects to be on the sidelines come Sunday.
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“I’m focused on doing my part Sunday night. I need to do a hell of a job. We’re all committed to this, and that’s really where my mind is right now,” he said.
One of the biggest concerns on Sunday will be McCarthy being on the sidelines and at risk of getting hit. He said he is aware of this and “will be in touch with that.”
When asked if he got an email from the NFL regarding sideline behaviors because of Sunday’s game with the Eagles and 49ers, McCarthy said, “They don’t have to worry about me personally this week for sure. I won’t be misbehaving at all.”
The head coach said one of the biggest talking points with his surgeon was to ensure he was doing his part with the amount of sleep he gets more than anything else.
McCarthy said he was “one for one” and has been a good patient. He acknowledged he has to be smart with his recovery, especially in the coming days.
While he was gone, he worked from his home office and said he only missed the meeting for short-yardage and goal-line work, adding, “I wasn’t concerned about missing any of the game plan part of it. But yes, not being here is not where you want to be. I was excited to get back and definitely felt great walking in here today.”
He also mentioned that although the process of being involved in the game planning was different because he was there virtually, it still got done.
McCarthy gave credit to the staff around him who held down the fort in his absence, saying it speaks to the team’s culture and process.
“I had no stress, and I was at peace with the direction, the correction, and the installation of everything that went in Wednesday and Thursday,” said McCarthy.
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