3x Cowboys Super Bowl champion sends Jerry Jones a warning over HC Mike McCarthy’s future

When you're the coach of the most valuable franchise in sports, the headlines are bound to follow you around. Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy has learned that much over the last four years.

The expectation for the Cowboys has always been to challenge for the Super Bowl but they have come nowhere close to lifting the Lombardi in the Mike McCarthy era. While questions were raised over his future as coach of the Cowboys, the team sent Jerry Jones a message with a 26-24 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.

After the game, McCarthy and Jones shared a moment together, exchanging what looked like a few warm words. That led to speculation that Jones would bring McCarthy back to coach his beloved Cowboys (7-8) for another year despite missing the playoffs. However, Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin had a word of caution for the Cowboys GM. On the Monday night episode of "FS1's Speak," Irvin said:

“Let’s remember, winning a few games in a row was not the criteria in the genesis of the season. It was getting to the playoffs. Whatever we were gonna say he has done, he’s got the team playing well even though the team is out so the team is giving a great effort. All of that is true and congratulations to Mike McCarthy.

“But we also have to say, you’re done with three weeks left in the season. You’re out of the playoffs. I want us to be mindful. Because we get emotional. We shouldn’t be making decisions in emotional times.”

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What does 2025 hold in store for Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys?

Rumors have strongly linked Deion Sanders as a replacement for McCarthy if Jerry Jones decides to fire his current head coach. However, as things stand, the Colorado head coach has given no indication that he would be open to making the step up from coaching in college football to the NFL.

Mike McCarthy will enter a contract year in 2025 and has racked up a 48-33 win-loss record as head coach in Dallas. However, they are 1-3 in the postseason so far.

For what it's worth, Dak Prescott is firmly in McCarthy's corner, having told Yahoo! Sports' Jori Epstein he is willing to help McCarthy in any way he can to make sure he is still coaching the team next year.