The Jason Garrett era is over. After nine-plus seasons, three NFC East division titles, three playoff berths resulting in two wins, and zero Super Bowl appearances, "America's Team" is moving on from a decade of mediocrity, punctuated by the franchise's fourth 8-8 season in nine years. The time was right, and owner Jerry Jones finally pulled the plug on Garrett's tenure.
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With a Super Bowl-caliber roster in place, Dallas needed to act fast. The NFL's coaching carousel was already spinning with veterans like Ron Rivera landing jobs and flashy college names like Matt Rhule potentially NFL bound. Just a few days after ESPN's Ed Werder reported that Garrett was out in Big D, the franchise has reportedly found its ninth head coach to begin the new decade.
Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the Dallas Cowboys agreed to terms with former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy to be the team's new head coach. Specific details of McCarthy's contract have not been released, but multiple outlets are confirming the hiring.
Mike McCarthy Hired as Cowboys New Coach
McCarthy last coached in the NFL in 2018 when he was fired after a 4-7-1 start to that season. After initially being hired in 2006, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native led Green Bay to nine playoff appearances in his first 11 seasons, including six NFC North titles, four NFC Championship Game berths, and a victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.
The offensive guru began his NFL coaching career in 1993 with the Kansas City Chiefs and quickly rose up the ranks, serving as offensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers before taking over in Green Bay.
McCarthy was responsible for the ascension of Aaron Rodgers as the Packers' starting quarterback following Brett Favre's faux retirement in 2008. Favre was traded to the New York Jets, which began Green Bay's rise to power over the next decade.
During McCarthy's tenure, only the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints scored at least 30 points in a game more times than the Packers, who reached that mark 77 times in the regular season; They were 71-6 in those games.
The Cowboys offered this statement thanking Jason Garrett for his time as Cowboys coach:
Dak Prescott has room to grow, but is already playing at a high level. Ezekiel Elliott is an All-Pro caliber running back with a massive new contract in place. The Cowboys' defense is young and only a few pieces away from being one of the league's very best.
The table is set, and the former Packers leader fits this roster perfectly. Say what you want about how his tenure ended in Green Bay, but there aren't many coaches better than Mike McCarthy.
Dallas fans should be buzzing. There's new life inside AT&T Stadium, and Jerry's World may have finally found the next head coach to take them back to the Super Bowl.
