Mike McCarthy not running away from Cowboys expectations

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is not shying away from fans’ lofty expectations, promising that a Super Bowl is his only goal for 2020.

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy spoke candidly on Friday about Dallas’s championship aspirations, per NFL.com’s Grant Gordon, with the former Super Bowl champion looking to add some flair to a loaded offense after an underwhelming 8-8 season in 2019.

“If you’re not trying to win a Super Bowl, I don’t even know what you’re doing in this business,” McCarthy said, raising expectations for a franchise which hopes to return to playoff contention in 2020. With the recent signing of Everson Griffen, the Cowboys are clearly all-in on the upcoming season, and their new head coach seems well aware of what he is expected to accomplish.

While some fans may have been underwhelmed by the hire after McCarthy’s messy exit from Green Bay, the veteran head coach spent his year away from the game honing his offensive strategy and innovating his attack.

Can Mike McCarthy get the best out this Cowboys team?

If he can truly get the most out of quarterback Dak Prescott, McCarthy may be able to deliver on his expectations and bring Dallas on a deep playoff run. With rookie wideout CeeDee Lamb joining Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and Ezekiel Elliott in a talented group of skill position players, the pressure is on Prescott and his new head coach to play to their potential.

Regardless of how well the Cowboys play, they will likely still find themselves in the second tier of NFC contenders. The San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints are the conference’s clear favorites, but Dallas has the talent to challenge both and reach the same level as the Seattle Seahawks and Green Bay Packers.

With such an enormous fan base, the Cowboys always have pressure to contend, but 2020 appears to be different. While Dallas always failed to live up to expectations under Jason Garrett, McCarthy isn’t shying away. The former Packers coach clearly believes in his roster, and with all of the talent in Dallas, he has every reason to.