As the Dallas Cowboys' season swirls the drainpipe, questions about Mike McCarthy's future will unrelentingly gurgle to the surface with each depressing loss.
Cowboys star edge rusher Micah Parsons, who returned to action from an ankle injury in Sunday's 34-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, said he's not as worried about McCarthy's future as much as he is of guard Zack Martin and other players who only have so many games left.
"Mike can leave and go wherever he wants," Parsons said, . "Guys I kind of feel bad for [are] guys like Zack Martin and guys who might be on their last year or on their way out. Because that's who I wanted to hold the trophy for. You want to win games and do great things with those type of legends who put in more time and work than Mike McCarthy ever did.
"Those are the kind of guys that I have so much sympathy and hurt for."
McCarthy led the Green Bay Packers for 13 years, including one Super Bowl win, before joining Dallas in 2020. In his fifth season, the 61-year-old is in the final year of his contract. At 3-6, with four consecutive losses (including several blowouts), McCarthy could be playing out the string.
Parsons' comments speak to the nature of the business. High-profile coaches usually find work in some fashion after getting fired -- as an offensive coordinator, senior-level analyst, etc. -- whereas players' careers have a shelf life. There are only so many blocks and tackles in a body.
Asked if McCarthy should coach the Cowboys next year, Parsons said it was "above my pay grade."
McCarthy told reporters on Monday that he and Parsons discussed his comments "like men should handle it."
"With postgame remarks, when it creates questions for others in the locker room, it's something I've always done -- a conversation has to happen," McCarthy said, . "So Micah and I had a conversation this morning about it."
While calls for the coach's job will only get louder, owner Jerry Jones said he has zero desire to make an in-season change.
"Mike is a heck of a coach, a great coach in my mind," Jones said of McCarthy's status, . "[He] has and should have the opportunity to do better than we're playing right now. I haven't had good experience changing coaches in the middle of the season.
"I've changed coaches in the season with Wade (Phillips) and have always regretted it. As a matter of fact, I made a change with Chan Gailey after two years. I regretted that. That's not enough. You need to give yourself a chance. I've had a lot more rope than that, in my time. I haven't had anybody pull it short on me."
Three of the Cowboys' next four games are stand-alone contests, starting with next Monday night's tilt against the Houston Texans.
