Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Aikman had harsh words for the Dallas Cowboys after the team parted ways with head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday.
McCarthy and the Cowboys parted ways after the two sides failed to reach an agreement on the length of the contract, according to multiple reports. McCarthy’s contract was set to expire on Tuesday and the Cowboys will have entered the head coaching carousel a little later than expected.
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Troy Aikman looks on before a game between the New Orleans Saints and the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri on October 7, 2024. (Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images)
Aikman reversed that decision Monday evening.
“I thought Mike McCarthy would be the head coach, so it’s a bit of a surprise to me today that he’s not… It suggests there’s no real plan” , he said before calling the playoff game between the Los Angeles and Los Angeles. Minnesota Rams and Vikings.
“I think the Cowboys are obviously a high-level team. Whoever is the head coach of this team will definitely attract a lot of attention, but I think most of the football players who take over as coach- boss want to do it on their terms and it’s hard to do.
“I love the Dallas Cowboys. I played there for 12 years. I wish them luck. To say it’s a coveted position, I’m not sure I necessarily agree with that.”
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy watches the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
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Aikman said it seemed “logical” that former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore would be a candidate for the head coaching job. However, he clarified that whoever gets into that position may not be exactly himself.
McCarthy became the Cowboys’ head coach before the 2020 season, succeeding Jason Garrett, who had spent 10 years at the helm. Although McCarthy went 6-10 in his first season, he had some success when the team was healthy.
Dallas was 12-5 and won two division titles from 2021 to 2023. The team made the playoffs every year, but failed to return to the NFC Championship, which had eluded them since its last Super Bowl victory in 1995.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy answers questions during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Washington Commanders Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Landover, Maryland. (AP Photo/Stéphanie Scarbrough)
The Cowboys saw Dak Prescott’s 2024 season end prematurely and the team couldn’t recover. The Cowboys were 7-10.
