Ex Packers boss to take over
Cowboys get their man at head coach, hiring Super Bowl winner McCarthy
Jan 6, 2020, 11:14 am
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Mike McCarthy
The Dallas Cowboys did not act quickly in deciding former head coach Jason Garrett's fate. The decision dragged out for nearly a week after the season.
They did, however, move quickly once the decision to fire Garrett was made.
The Cowboys on Monday named former Packers boss Mike McCarthy to be the new head coach in Dallas.
McCarthy sat out last season after being fired by the Green Bay Packers 12 games into the 2018 season.
Solid track record
In 13 seasons in Green Bay, McCarthy went 125-77-2 in the regular season for a .619 winning percentage. In the playoffs, he was 10-8 and the Packers won the Super Bowl after the 2010 season.
The Packers made the playoffs nine times in his 13 seasons, including three trips to the NFC Championship Game. Interestingly, he had a 7-3 record against the Cowboys.
The negatives
Things did not end well for McCarthy in Green Bay. The Packers went 7-9 in 2017 and were 4-7-1 in 2018 when he was let go with four games remaining in the season. He sparred with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers at the end of his tenure, and the Packers bounced back to go 13-3 in the year after McCarthy was let go.
An upgrade over Garrett
Still, his numbers tower over Garrett's. The former Cowboys coach was 85-67 over his 10 years in Dallas, making the playoffs just three times and going 2-3 in those appearances, never getting past the divisional round. Garrett had only one losing season, going 4-12 in 2015, but the Cowboys went just 8-8 this season in a year where they were expected to be Super Bowl contenders.
The bottom line
If McCarthy can replicate his successful seasons in Green Bay, Cowboys fans should be thrilled. However, if the Cowboys get the McCarthy who was run out of town after two losing seasons, the hire will be considered a failure. Odds are they will get good McCarthy, as sometimes teams just need a new voice after a long tenure. The Cowboys certainly needed that after 10 years with Garrett.
With McCarthy, they have that new voice. Whether or not it translates to new results remains to be seen, but the Cowboys have their man.
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