What did Cowboys QB Dak Prescott say about HC Mike McCarthy?

After the Dallas Cowboys were given a big slice of humble pie in their third-straight home loss at the hands of the Detroit Lions and a 47-9 thrashing, many questioned the future of head coach Mike McCarthy. While he’s clearly not to blame for the unending slew of issues on this Cowboys team, his job security would be greatly improved with not only a good regular-season record but also some success in the postseason, something that’s yet to happen in his four seasons with Dallas.

Still, when asked the question directly, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made it clear he has no intention of firing McCarthy at this point in time. And to be honest, it wouldn’t make much sense to fire McCarthy right now anyway. Who would take over? Defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer? Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer? Special teams coordinator John Fassel? Yeah, no thanks.

The Cowboys are at 3-3, but the magnitude of those three losses is what’s so concerning. They technically still have a shot at clinching a playoff berth, but something has got to change, and that something is not going to be McCarthy, and especially not if quarterback Dak Prescott has it his way.

Prescott goes to bat for McCarthy

After the devastating 38-point home loss to theLions, McCarthy told reporters that he gave the team a list of questions to ruminate on during this week’s bye week before they head to San Francisco to start one of the more challenging remaining schedules in the league.

“Make sure they are looking in the mirror and just make sure you’re filling in the blanks,” said McCarthy. “Because why are we on this ebb and flow? Why do we perform seven days ago the way we performed at 1 o’clock in the morning and then come home and perform the way we did? So those are the kinds of things we’ve got to work, focus on.”

He also said that he and the other staff members will be doing some self-reflection of their own.

“We have to take a hard look at the way we played that game,” McCarthy said. “That’s what we’ve done as a staff. Did we try to get into a sprint with a car that was going faster than we were, that we couldn’t keep up with? Just all those things. I think you have to look at all that, reassess…We’ll have a good plan to go out there in San Francisco, get that win.”

While some are ready to blame McCarthy for the loss, or at the very least suggest that a change in coaching might be the change Dallas needs, Prescott is not one of them.

“I’ll go to war for that guy, with that guy, every single day, and I’m not the only one in that locker room,” Prescott said. “I feel like everybody feels that.”

“If you heard what he said after that game, that’s not something that I care to let you guys in on, honestly, but strong message. In a loss, to be able to feel that way, show those emotions and respond, I’ll follow him. I know he said it to you guys, he said it in there, he’s looking in the mirror, as we all should. Thankful for him as my coach. Period.”

While Prescott’s opinions on the head coach surely hold some weight, it doesn’t change the fact that McCarthy’s contract is up at the end of this season. McCarthy may be safe for now, but after three blowout losses at home and the taunting Detroit gave to the Cowboys with trick plays and straight-up mockery, his clock is definitely ticking.

Depending on how the Cowboys fare against the 49ers and Atlanta Falcons in the next two games, their rivalry game against the Philadelphia Eagles could ultimately end up being a determining factor in McCarthy’s future in Dallas.