Jerry Jones gives blunt response to Mike McCarthy contract question

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones doesn’t believe now is the time to offer a contract extension to Mike McCarthy. The Cowboys coach is set to enter his third season with the team in 2022 and has three more years remaining on his deal, so Jones would rather wait to see how things play out.

So far through his first two years, McCarthy has compiled a 18-15 record and gotten the team to the playoffs once. That includes a 12-5 finish this past season, though the Cowboys would go on to lose to San Francisco in the wild card round.

When Jones was asked about the possibility of extending McCarthy on Monday, he offered a blunt response.

“Any other questions?” he said Monday. “We’re in good shape. We have years left on the contract. There are years past this one, that’s all I’ll say.”

Jerry Jones went on to clarify that he has complete faith in Mike McCarthy to lead the Cowboys to a Super Bowl. The contract extension simply hasn’t crossed his mind at this point because of how much time is remaining on it.

“I want to be real clear: He wouldn’t be siting here today if I didn’t believe he was the man to lead this team to a Super Bowl,” Jones said. “He wouldn’t be. And I have choices.”

Jones enjoyed great success in his early years as the Cowboys owner, winning three Super Bowls from 1992-95. However, since then the team has a lackluster 4-11 record in the postseason and has not made it past the divisional round. That puts extra pressure on McCarthy — the sixth head coach since Dallas’ last Super Bowl win — to get the job done.

Despite last year’s wild card exit, there is plenty of optimism surrounding the team entering this season thanks a high-powered offense that includes Prescott, running back Ezekiel Elliott and receiver CeeDee Lamb. They also have stars such a Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons on defense.

McCarthy has plenty of experience as an NFL coach after spending 13 years as the coach of the Green Bay Packers. There he compiled a 125-77 record and also won a Super Bowl during the 2010 season. That past experience certainly helps give Jerry Jones confidence that Mike McCarthy can do it again in Dallas.

If he does, perhaps then Jones will revisit a potential contract extension.