Former head coach Mike McCarthy addressed Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's upcoming season and the goals that come with it. Barring any significant injury, McCarthy anticipates a productive season from the starting QB. After Prescott wasn't surprised by Micah Parsons' trade to the Green Bay Packers, it sounds as if he's ready to lead the Cowboys into life after Parsons.
For McCarthy, health is key for Prescott's 2025 NFL season. The rest of Prescott goals, McCarthy believes, will take care of itself, he said, via the Pat McAfee Show, per Cowboys reporter RJ Ochoa.
“Number one stay healthy,” McCarthy said. “He stays healthy he'll reach every goal he has set out for his team and himself. I do believe that in heart of hearts. I think Dak is clearly what I would call a full operational quarterback. When you get into the post-season and you start building your offense for the upcoming year, the concepts you're looking to build off of, the variations that you wanna change… he's full operational. There's nothing that you really get out.”
Years removed from his days of running out of the pocket, Prescott has evolved into a complete quarterback over the years.
“Now he obviously ran more in his younger days. And frankly once he received a bigger contract we tried to be more selective with that,” McCarthy added. “I'm not sure what direction they're going here in the future here.”
McCarthy says he got a first-hand look at Prescott's growth last season.
“We increased the three-step emphasis. I thought he was excellent at that. The play-action, the keys, all that. Really liking the situations,” McCarthy said. “Everyone talks about his leadership and his hard work. But this man's a hell of a football player. I just love the way he stands in there and makes those throws and doesn't blink.”
How Mike McCarthy played a role in Cowboys' Micah Parsons trade
Former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy reportedly played a role Micah Parsons' trade to the Packers. As the former head coach of both the Cowboys and the Packers, McCarthy is rumored to have factored into making the deal happen, according to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Don Van Natta Jr.
“When doing their homework on Parsons, Gutekunst and the Packers reached out to people that had worked with, played with, or coached Parsons in college and in Dallas,” Fowler and Van Natta wrote.
“He wouldn't name names, but league sources said Gutekunst and McCarthy, who coached the Packers from 2006 to 2018 and the Cowboys from 2020 to 2024, maintained a good relationship,” Fowler and Van Natta continued. “Parsons and McCarthy had a solid connection — the edge rusher said in January that Dallas' decision to part ways with his former coach was “devastating.”
The Cowboys will face the Eagles in Week 1.
