Cowboys’ Micah Parsons expressed his deep sorrow over Mike McCarthy’s exit as head coach, calling the situation “devastating.”
On his podcast, “The Edge with Micah Parsons,” the star linebacker reflected on the strong bond he shared with McCarthy. “I’m obviously very sad because of the relationships we had with Coach McCarthy and everything he’s done for our program,” Parsons noted. He highlighted the team’s success during McCarthy’s tenure, which included three consecutive 12-5 seasons and playoff appearances, despite an unfortunate year marred by injuries.
Parsons praised McCarthy, saying, “Coach Mike is a great father, great coach. One of the most winningest coaches. He’s always been good to us as a unit, coaches, players. Losing a great coach like Mike hurts.” This sentiment reflects the emotional impact of the coaching change on the team.
This past season, the Cowboys struggled, finishing with a 7-10 record and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. A significant factor in their decline was quarterback Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring injury in Week 8, which disrupted the team’s momentum.
During McCarthy’s five years in Dallas, the Cowboys compiled a record of 49-35 in the regular season and had a playoff record of 1-3. The team achieved 12 wins in three consecutive seasons (2021-2023), claimed the NFC East title twice (2021 and 2023), and faced playoff absences in 2020 and 2024.
Before joining the Cowboys, McCarthy served as head coach for the Green Bay Packers from 2006 to 2018, where he posted a regular-season record of 125-77-2 and a postseason mark of 10-8. His tenure in Green Bay is marked by the franchise’s victory in Super Bowl XLV, and he ranks 13th in NFL history with 174 combined wins as a head coach.
In his fourth season, Parsons demonstrated his skills on the field with 12.0 sacks, 43.0 combined tackles, and two forced fumbles over 13 games, despite missing four games due to an ankle injury. He has earned All-Pro honors twice and Pro Bowl selections in each of his four NFL seasons.
Under former defensive coordinator Dan Quinn from 2021 to 2023, the Cowboys established one of the league’s premier defenses, consistently ranking in the top seven for opponent points per game. However, following Quinn’s departure to the Washington Commanders, the Cowboys hired Mike Zimmer, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, as their new defensive coordinator.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys’ defense struggled under Zimmer’s leadership, allowing 218.1 passing yards (17th in the NFL), 137.1 rushing yards (29th), 355.2 total yards (28th), and 27.5 points (31st) per game.
As Parsons looks ahead, he expressed confidence in the Cowboys’ ability to make the right decision regarding their next head coach. Among the candidates being considered are Deion Sanders, head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes and former Cowboys cornerback, Kellen Moore, former Cowboys offensive coordinator now with the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jason Witten, the legendary tight end.
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