Mike McCarthy is finally starting to resurface. Ever since being fired by the Green Bay Packers toward the end of last season, McCarthy has been laying low. But in a recent interview with Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, the longtime Packers coach broke his silence.

McCarthy talked about how his firing “couldn't have been handled any worse,” as well as about his relationship with Aaron Rodgers. But he also talked about his coaching future, and his desire to get back into the grind. McCarthy was reportedly a candidate for the head coaching job with the Browns and Jets but ultimately decided to sit out 2019.

That doesn't mean he isn't itching to get back out there. In his comments to Demovsky, McCarthy indicated he doesn't feel like he'll get rusty at all during the time away from the game.

“I don't feel like I've taken any time off. I'm focused on improving as a coach. I have a plan to be the best prepared I can be when, God willing, I get another opportunity next year,” McCarthy said.

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He's clearly focused on coaching in 2020 and seems realistic about the fact that he'll need to make changes to adjust to the modern game.

McCarthy's schemes and game plans were criticized during his final years with the Packers for being too simple and outdated for the modern passing game. McCarthy said he's using his time to study trends in the league,  saying he's “already broken down eight offenses” from around the NFL.

McCarthy will surely be a contender for the jobs that inevitably open up next Winter, and it'll be very interesting to see if he's able to land a head job somewhere. It's still unclear whether he is sitting out 2019 truly by choice, or whether he was unable to land a gig.