The latest hot topics surrounding the Dallas Cowboys all in one place.
Micah Parsons has ‘locked in’ on being a leader, and he’s better because of it – Tommy Yarrish, DallasCowboys.com
There has been tremendous growth in Micah Parsons this season when it comes to being a leader on the defense.
Parsons fulfilled his own prophecy from back in Week 11 when he said Dallas’ defense would be discussed as a “damn good defense” by the end of the season. Parsons credits both defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and his teammates for rising to the occasion.
“As much as I think [Zimmer’s] a mastermind, I give credit to everyone in the room. Coaching matters and Zimmer doesn’t even yell anymore, he just tells people to line up.” Parsons said.
“It goes to show that everyone in the locker room and every that’s in defensive meetings, they’re busting their butts, they’re fighting for their lives, they’re fighting for every inch of every game, I think it’s more than just coaching too.”
A message from a coach is one thing, but the players buying into it is another. The good news for Dallas is that they have both, and the Cowboys are locked into their winning mindset despite being eliminated from playoff contention because in their mind, they have something to prove.
“We were eliminated from the playoffs and you saw some of the best effort from all the guys…” Parsons said. “We’re locked in, we want it, we want to win games, we want to prove to people that we can win, and we want to prove to people that we’re a good football team.”
Cowboys legend says Mike McCarthy’s future shouldn’t depend on recent wins – Ali Jawad, Sports Illustrated
Michael Irvin wants Mike McCarthy to be judged off of playoff success rather than late season wins in 2024.
While Dallas has recently strung together a series of victories, Irvin believes that the idea of a possible McCarthy contract extension should not be solely based on these recent performances.
“Let’s remember, winning a few games in a row was not the criteria and the genesis of this season. It was getting to the playoffs,” Irvin stated earlier this week on FS1’s Speak.
The playoffs have always been the ultimate goal for the Cowboys. However, their failure to make the postseason for the first time since 2020, along with their overall lack of success in the playoffs under the veteran coach, could raise doubts about McCarthy’s chances of returning next season.
Despite their recent winning stretch, which had kept Dallas’ playoff hopes alive until Week 16, the team faced significant challenges throughout the year. These include a five-game losing streak, inconsistent performance, questionable play calls, injuries to key players, and issues with sun exposure during games.
Mike McCarthy’s stock is rising. Could the coach dump Cowboys to join another NFL team? – Jarrett Bell, USA Today
While Jerry Jones has been vocal in his support of Mike McCarthy these past few weeks, it may not be his decision whether McCarthy stays in Dallas for 2025.
After last season, Jones didn’t reveal that McCarthy would return – albeit without an extension – until he underwent three days of hard contemplation. In mid-January, similar drama could play out.
Yet there will be a significant twist: McCarthy might opt to bolt and become a coaching free agent.
It would one thing for Jones to determine that he wouldn’t do any better than McCarthy by bringing in a new unproven coach.
But what if McCarthy, with his contract up, decides that he’s had enough of the intense scrutiny that comes with coaching arguably the most high-profile team in the NFL?
With his experience, a resume that includes a Super Bowl victory with the Packers and three straight 12-win campaigns with the Cowboys, and a track record for bringing out the best in quarterbacks, McCarthy could be a hot item on the open market.
Sure, Bill Belichick was supposed to be a hot candidate in the last cycle, and only one of the seven teams besides the New England Patriots with an opening, the Atlanta Falcons, bothered to even interview a coach with six Super Bowl victories on his resume (eight, if including his coordinator duty). But McCarthy might be different, given his expertise as an offensive strategist and without needing the GM-type clout that Belichick commanded.
He’s also made a key move that shows how much he means business in preparing for that possibility. McCarthy hired a new agent in Don Yee, who last year brokered Jim Harbaugh’s return to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers and in 2023 facilitated Sean Payton’s return from a one-year layoff to a moonshot catch with the Denver Broncos. Yee also has represented Tom Brady for many years and incidentally was the person that Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis said he used to put on TB12’s post-retirement radar the possibility to first get involved in the ownership ranks of his franchise.
Rush on looming free agency, Cowboys’ mentality in finale vs. Eagles – Patrik Walker, DallasCowboys.com
Cooper Rush is savoring these last few games of the season as paying time is never promised to backup quarterbacks.
With only two games remaining before he finds himself once again in free agency, it goes without saying that Rush wants to keep the good times rolling against the Philadelphia Eagles and then Washington Commanders.
“You’ve got two left only, and that’s all you’re promised and, as a backup, you go through stints where you won’t play for a while,” he said. “You cherish all these moments. You really enjoy it and, I think I’ve said it before, enjoying getting to go out there and play. … I don’t think the future is the driver because you always have something to prove.
“I think that’s everyone, league-wide. It’s everyone’s mindset, usually, as a competitor. Being in the NFL, that’s enough.”
With that, his focus is solely on what he can do against one of the best defenses in the league in the Eagles, and on their turf, but it’s not as if Rush and the Cowboys’ offense hasn’t proven itself capable of landing a gutsy upset on the road.
Just ask the aforementioned Commanders.
“We’ve found a better flow, for sure,” said Rush. “I think everyone as a group is playing together, and we’ve just gotta keep it going.”
Doing so would also keep the Grinch energy strong within Dallas, a vibe being embraced completely by both the defense and offense alike as the season nears its end.
“It’s always fun winning, yeah,” Rush said. “Definitely wanna beat Philly.”
CeeDee Lamb’s injury could reveal Cowboys top offseason priority – Koby Skillern, Sports Illustrated
Wide receiver may be a huge need for the Cowboys heading into the 2025 draft.
Dallas has numerous positions to address in the offseason. Their offensive line, linebackers, defensive backs, wide receivers, edge rushers, interior defensive line, and running backs all require improvements, whether through finding new starters or adding depth.
For the Cowboys to finally achieve postseason success, a comprehensive roster upgrade is essential.
This move could highlight the team’s top priority for the offseason. As of now, run-stoppers, running backs, and defensive backs are likely targets for the early rounds of the draft. However, Lamb’s injury might shift the Cowboys’ focus to finding a strong wide receiver two to complement him.
The Cowboys have been a one-trick pony for the past two seasons, relying heavily on Lamb.
There is serious doubt about whether the team can find success in the passing game or on offense at all with Lamb sidelined.
