Mike McCarthy responds to anonymous player’s harsh criticism
By John Buhler
Mike McCarthy has to get this right with his Dallas Cowboys players here fast
Dallas Cowboys players are already bailing on head coach Mike McCarthy after six games.
The Cowboys are 2-4 under their new head coach. Dallas should be 1-5 if the Atlanta Falcons didn’t hand them a victory back on an awful onside kick recovery attempt. Their only other win is over the toothless New York Giants, who are 1-5 like the Falcons. Players have anonymously criticized McCarthy and his coaching staff for being unprepared. McCarthy responded Tuesday.
“Well, I mean, first off, I haven’t heard any of those type of discussions,” said McCarthy on a conference call to reporters. “I think like a lot of things when you hit a part of your season, or any challenge where there is negativity out there and where it comes from and who it comes from, that’s something that I’ve never chased. I think you do have to recognize it.”
“I just really go back to my first meeting with the football team. I’ve always stated that . . . it’s important to handle things as men. I mean, if you do have something to say publicly that is of most important, I think it’s important to say it to the individual, or particularly in a group dynamic setting, especially in the game of football, especially for the Dallas Cowboys.”
“I mean, that’s all part of the development our program, of the system that we’ve got going here. I think that’s just part of our flight right now. We don’t like the way we played last night. We had some areas that we struggled strong in. It’s definitely not what we’re looking for.”
Will Mike McCarthy’s response allow the open door policy to be reopened?
The NFL Network’s Jane Slater tweeted out on Tuesday afternoon that players on the Cowboys initially wanted to keep their criticisms of McCarthy and his staff in-house, but at 2-4, the frustrations are mounting and these sort of anonymous jabs have begun to leak out. She asked McCarthy if this was a way to reinforce the open-door policy in place in Frisco, Texas.
#Cowboys players initially bought into keeping things internal. Now as they sit 2-4 the discontent is leaking out. On the coaching staff “totally unprepared. They don’t teach. They don’t have any sense of adjusting on the fly.” Another “they just aren’t good at their jobs”
— Jane Slater (@SlaterNFL) October 20, 2020
“Thank you for the opportunity,” said McCarthy, “but I think the key word there is anonymous. I think I’ve already stated: I think it’s important for our operation of the system that we’re putting in place here.”
“All systems are different. We’ve looked at how things were done here in the past. It’s a clear vision and understanding and demands of how things need to be moving forward. But it’s important for us to have those conversations one-on-one or as a group, and I’m fortunate that I get to talk to the team every day.”
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For as much dysfunction that seems to be emanating from The Star in Frisco, the Cowboys are still in first place in the NFC East and would get to host a playoff game if the season ended today. Initially, 8-8 may have won the division, but now, a team might be as bad as 6-10 and get to host the No. 5 seed who may have had five more wins than them during the regular season.
If these issues can be handled better internally, then Dallas has a great shot to win the division.