The Dallas Cowboys have been a disaster throughout the 2024 NFL season. Dallas is 3-6 heading into Week 11 and their season is all but over after Dak Prescott's season-ending injury. The Cowboys will have to do their best with what they have down the back stretch of the regular season.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy made a surprising declaration about the team's top running back on Thursday.

“He’s the lead back,” McCarthy said about running back Rico Dowdle, per Calvin Watkins of Dallas Morning News. “Rico needs to touch the ball.”

Watkins noted that he couldn't remember a public acknowledgement from McCarthy regarding Dowdle being the team's RB1 before this announcement.

Dowdle may not be a good running back, but he's been playing some solid football for the Cowboys this season. He has 83 rushing attempts for 374 yards and zero touchdowns through eight games played.

Dowdle is the best back that the Cowboys can turn to for the rest of the season. Deuce Vaughn and the ghost of Ezekiel Elliott are the only backs in reserve behind Dowdle.

It would be shocking if the Cowboys did not add multiple running backs during the offseason to address this issue.

Mike McCarthy rumored to be out with Cowboys after the 2024 season

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks off the field after a loss against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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Many Cowboys fans have already turned their eyes towards the 2025 season. There are plenty of unknowns about the future in Dallas, including who the head coach of the team will be.

Mike McCarthy is rumored to not be returning to Dallas after this season, per an article by ESPN's Dan Graziano.

“There's a great deal of chatter about who might be coaching the team next year, as Mike McCarthy is not signed for 2025.” Graziano said. Graziano further explained the internal discussions, noting that “the Cowboys are coming to grips with the fact that their 2024 roster wasn't what they thought it was.”

If Jerry Jones and the rest of the organization realizes that they didn't properly assess their roster, that suggests wide sweeping changes could be coming in the offseason.

The Cowboys could be an attractive opening for some coaching candidates due to their star power with Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and Micah Parsons.

But let's not get too ahead of ourselves. Next up for the Cowboys is a Week 11 matchup against the Texans.