The Dallas Cowboys may not be “America's team” anymore, but their standards for success are much higher in comparison to the rest of the teams in the NFL. With a 3-5 start to 2024, Mike McCarthy has lost the support of the fanbase, leading many to believe his days are numbered.
McCarthy was singled out as the head coach who is under the most pressure the remainder of the year, receiving 23 of 46 votes from The Athletic's NFL staff. One writer noted that McCarthy's situation might “already be unsalvageable,” putting the coach beyond just a typical hot seat.
Beyond McCarthy, the staff also identified Nick Sirianni of the Philadelphia Eagles and Matt Eberflus of the Chicago Bears as names to monitor. Doug Pederson, Brian Daboll and Shane Steichen all also received multiple votes.
Since joining the Cowboys in 2020, McCarthy has led the team to three winning seasons. His first year was a 6-10 disaster but the ensuing three all led to playoff appearances. However, none of the years Dallas qualified for the playoffs under McCarthy led to an NFC Championship Game appearance.
With Dallas two games below .500 midway through the year, the Cowboys' fortune is unlikely to turn anytime soon. Dak Prescott's hamstring injury put the quarterback on injured reserve, setting the table for a grim outlook for the rest of the season. The last time Prescott missed significant time was McCarthy's first year with the team.
Cowboys prepare for Cooper Rush's debut in Week 10
If McCarthy is truly on the hot seat entering Week 10, he is about to enter full panic mode for as long as he holds onto his job. Without Prescott, the Cowboys will turn to longtime backup Cooper Rush, who has the trust of McCarthy but is tasked with facing the 6-2 Eagles.
On top of Prescott being sidelined, Dallas will still be without Brandin Cooks, DeMarcus Lawrence and DaRon Bland for the game. They will, however, get star linebacker Micah Parsons back from an ankle sprain and are expected to debut recent trade acquisition Jonathan Mingo.
The Cowboys have now lost three straight entering Week 10, giving up 35 points per game to opponents in those games. Conversely, the Eagles have won four consecutive and are coming off a narrow 28-23 nod over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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