Few were happier to see Mike McCarthy go last year than the Chicago Bears. The former head coach of the Green Bay Packers had tortured them for over a decade dating back to his arrival in 2006. Being able to send his staff off into the ether with a division-clinching victory at Soldier Field last season was particularly sweet. However, anybody with brains knew it was just a matter of time before McCarthy got another opportunity in the NFL.
A guy with a Super Bowl ring doesn’t remain jobless for long.
Sure enough, it appears he has found a new home. The Dallas Cowboys, having finally closed the curtain on the Jason Garrett era, entered the coaching market for the first time in a decade. Reports quickly indicated that they were on the lookout for a head coach with prior experience. One who’d had success. So it wasn’t a surprise that McCarthy was one of their first targets. As it turns out, according to Jay Glazer it didn’t take long for the two sides to click.
If this were just the simple enough process, then it would be nothing but a solid hire by the Cowboys. Yet owner Jerry Jones always seems to find a way to make things a little bit odd. Adam Schefter later revealed that Dallas was so determined to ensure McCarthy was their guy that he was permitted to stay at Jones’ house overnight.
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Mike McCarthy has a track record but does he have the edge?
There is no question that McCarthy has credibility. Not only does he own a ring but he also dominated the NFC North for almost the entire length of his coaching tenure in Green Bay. One would think he can do the same for Dallas who has a more well-rounded roster than the one he left behind. What is uncertain is whether the man still has the drive. Nobody is denying his coaching prowess, but one thing that is so hard to keep as an NFL head coach is that edge.
The ability to stay on top of every little detail and actively motivate his roster. It felt like the final two years with the Packers saw that slip a little bit. There were accusations that McCarthy skipped out on certain meetings to get a massage. Something he of course denied. Either way, it’s hard to tell if the Cowboys are getting the same guy who made the 2010s a living hell for Chicago or just the refurbished version.
