Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy ‘believes’ in Dak Prescott. What did he say?
As much as Mike McCarthy’s future has been resolved, several questions about his choice of starting quarterback remain, something he has now defended.
Following an unceremonious exit from the playoffs, it’s safe to say that the Dallas Cowboys are still licking their wounds. As the team looks forward, the manager appears to be asking fans get behind the team rather than critiquing it.
Dak Prescott and Dallas aren’t breaking up
While it’s safe to say that this season did not go the way that many in Dallas hoped it would, it would be going too far to say that the team needs an overhaul. Indeed, that seems to be the stance taken by franchise owner Jerry Jones who has confirmed that head coach Mike McCarthy will be returning for a fifth season. Of course, with McCarthy’s tenure now extended, attention has immediately turned to the future of starting quarterback Dak Prescott, the man who many saw as a major part of the reason why the Cowboys fell to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round.
What makes the conversation surrounding Prescott even more noteworthy, is that we’re talking about a quarterback who was included on the MVP list of many fans just a few weeks ago. Where his contract is concerned, the 30-year-old is currently on a contract that runs through the end of the 2024 NFL season and carries a cap hit of $59.455 million. As recently as December it was widely reported that a long-term extension is soon to be agreed upon, one that will place him among the highest earners in the league. This is all to say, that by all accounts Dak Prescott - regardless of what happened against the Packers - is not going anywhere. That’s before we get to McCarthy’s glowing endorsement of his signal caller.
What did Mike McCarthy say about Dak Prescott?
at 12-5, the Dallas Cowboys came into their clash against the Packers having clinched the NFC East title i.e., the team was heavily favored to make quick work of the Packers. Yet, what we got was Prescott’s first multi-interception game since Week 5 and a 48-32 Cowboys loss. With that performance as context, McCarthy was always going to put out fires and that’s what he did. “I believe in Dak Prescott. I think he’s clearly the answer,” McCarthy said on Thursday. “He’s part of the solution moving forward. As difficult as this time is right now, when we can work through this emotional period that we’re in, we’ll continue to build off what he brings to the table.”
To be fair to both McCarthy and Prescott, the pair have worked very well together. In the four campaigns that they’ve been on deck, Prescott has been stellar. Where injury free seasons are concerned, the pair have enjoyed two and during those runs, Prescott threw for a minimum of 35 touchdowns and 4,400 yards with at least 590 passing attempts. Interestingly, McCarthy didn’t deny that there is room for improvement as he doubled down on the idea that there is nothing wrong with his quarterback. “I have unbelievable belief in Dak,” McCarthy said. “I think he clearly has another step. I think this offense has suited him well. I think the things we were able to improve on - you know, it’s a system built around making the quarterback successful. The growth opportunity that we both see was something that we are excited about.”
Dak Prescott returns the favor
It only takes a few moments listening to Dallas man under center to know that the admiration and respect that his coach has for him are feelings that are mutual. When asked about McCarthy’s future with the team, Prescott was couldn’t hide his disbelief about the notion of his coach’s pedigree being questioned. “He’s been amazing,” Prescott said of McCarthy. “I don’t know how there can be [speculation] but I understand the business. In that case, there should be about me as well, honestly...I understand it’s about winning the Super Bowl. That’s the standard of the league and damn sure the standard of this place. I get it but add me to the list, in that case.”
So, what can we expect from the Cowboys going forward?
That’s a good question. While it’s clear that there will be changes, McCarthy didn’t expand on what will be altered as far as the team is concerned. What we do know is that defensive coordinator Dan Quinn’s status is still up in the air, and there will need to be several staff and player evaluations before the offseason can get underway. Nonetheless, McCarthy remains confident that the organization has what it takes to correct its course. “I came to Dallas to win a world championship and that’s why I’m standing here,” McCarthy said when asked why fans should believe he’s the right coach. “Buy into us.”