Could this Sunday's game against the Washington Commanders be the final time we see Mike McCarthy coaching on the Cowboys' sideline? He joined Shan & RJ on Friday in what could also be his final visit on 105.3 The Fan.
McCarthy was asked to reflect on his five seasons in Dallas as his contract is reportedly set to expire on Jan. 14, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
"The start was different than anything any of us could ever imagine with the pandemic, and the family not being here the first year or so. So it was a very tough start, to say the least, both personally and professionally. To start a football program in that first year clearly wasn't ideal," McCarthy said on 105.3 The Fan. "Year two, we got the program going in the right direction and have done a lot of good things over the course of these four years. This year, the challenges were high. We didn't get through them to the point where it put us in the playoffs, so that's a bit of a disappointment."
McCarthy has hesitated to speak about his future this season and declined to answer a question from ESPN's Todd Archer earlier this week about whether or not he wanted to return next season.
But McCarthy was more open to speaking about his future on Friday. When asked if the Cowboys job has been what he expected when he arrived in 2020, he took the opportunity to mention how much he loves being the head coach of America's Team and how much his family enjoys living in North Texas.
"It's the Dallas Cowboys. It's one of a kind. I love coming to work every day. And I think doing this for as long as I've done it that's a gauge for me. If I don't jump out of bed, then it's time to do something else. I love getting here early. I love the players and coaches. This is what it's all about. ... Living out here in North Dallas has just been awesome. This is such an incredible place to raise a family. It's been an awesome experience for us."
On the field, the Cowboys had a difficult season. The team was blown out several times and lost multiple key players to season-ending injuries. When asked how McCarthy viewed the season, he admitted it was challenging but said there can be positives to take away from it.
"Once you're able to lift the Lombardi Trophy - there's really nothing else to do this for, in my opinion. That's what makes me go every day. I'm not ignorant to the fact of levels of success," McCarthy said. ... "As we're sitting here today, this is not where we expected to be. This is where we are. There's a lot of value in going through the adversity we have gone through. And it'll definitely pay forward, most importantly for the young players.
And if there was any doubts about McCarthy wanting to return, he appeared to put that to rest when asked by Shan and RJ if they'll be conducting these interviews again next season?
"Yeah, I hope so. I hope so. It would be awesome. You guys are great."