Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy Had Confident Three-Word Message for His Critics in 2024
One day after Mike McCarthy was officially retained as coach of the Dallas Cowboys, he stepped onto the podium in his end-of-season press conference and told people to believe—to believe in him, his team, and the goal of bringing a Lombardi Trophy to Dallas in the 21st century.
Despite decades of playoff futility and disappointment for the Cowboys, McCarthy had a very simple message for his critics.
“Buy into us,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy admitted the Cowboys haven’t yet figured out how to “cross the threshold” of winning playoff games but emphatically told reporters, “I know how to win.”
“We’ve established a championship program, it’s just not the world championship yet,” McCarthy said on Thursday. “We know how to win. We know how to train to win. We have the right people…I know how to win. And we will get over that threshold.”
Mike McCarthy has a message for Cowboys fans:
— NFL on CBS ???? (@NFLonCBS) January 18, 2024
"We have established a championship program... I know how to win and we will get over that threshold" pic.twitter.com/YsWF0anW9E
Following the Cowboys’ wild-card round playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, and based on owner Jerry Jones’s visceral reactions during that game, some speculated that McCarthy’s time in Dallas could be up.
Even with McCarthy's unseemly 1—3 playoff record in Dallas, the Cowboys’ brass decided to keep the 60-year-old coach for another year. Going into his fifth season with the franchise, McCarthy has already thrown his support behind MVP candidate Dak Prescott, whose contract with the team currently runs until the end of the 2024 season.
“I believe in Dak Prescott. I think he's clearly the answer,” McCarthy said. “He's part of the solution moving forward. As difficult as this time is right now, when we can work through this emotional period that we're in, we'll continue to built off what he brings to the table.”