Category: Mike McCarthy

McCarthy: Dak Prescott has one chance to play in Cowboys preseason

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott wants to play versus Houston on Saturday; his coach says if he doesn’t, he’ll have to wait until September 9th. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Dak Prescott has expressed his desire to take at least a few live snaps in the Cowboys’ third preseason game versus Houston on Saturday. But the team is taking a slow and methodical approach with their five-year veteran quarterback, not wanting to risk further damage to a muscle strain in his throwing shoulder.

This week of practice will be the key: if Prescott isn’t far enough along in his recovery to play in the Houston exhibition, he won’t get game action at all until the season opener September 9th against the defending Super Bowl champions.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy put it just that bluntly as he spoke to the media Monday.

“If he doesn’t play this week, I won’t play him in the fourth [preseason game],” McCarthy explained. “To me, the fourth [preseason] game is for the players that are competing for the final roster spots. That’s what I believe in.”

McCarthy said he felt Prescott was already in “midseason form” when he alerted the coaching staff to soreness in his right shoulder during the team’s first padded practice July 28th. And just like that, no more throwing for the two-time Pro Bowler who was on an early pace to shatter the single-season passing record last year.

Prescott began doing just some light throwing again last week.

“You have to build up his volume of throws again,” McCarthy said. “We really don’t want to put him in a position where we can re-injure it.”

While the 28-year-old passer may be champing at the bit to get back on the field in a live-fire situation, McCarthy is exercising extreme patience.

“We’ll see how the week goes, but there’s no urgency, from my perspective, to see Dak play [against] Houston. This is more about we just don’t want to create a setback possibility.”

Prescott has put a focus on mental reps, reading defenses from the sideline and going through progressions in his head to keep his mind sharp. But taking those first actual snaps- even in a meaningless preseason game- would be, for a player who hasn’t faced guys in different colored uniforms in 300-plus days, anything but meaningless.

“I think we’d all like that,” McCarthy admitted. “It’s just not the priority.”

The priority, of course, is to have the face of the franchise at full strength and speed for when the games actually count. The Cowboys hope they don’t need Prescott to sling it 50 times per game- his average over the first four full games last season- but McCarthy knows if they push it too hard now, Prescott could be right back to no throws at all when it suddenly matters.

“We’re just trying to get his volume back to where it belongs.”

[listicle id=675586]

[vertical-gallery id=674898]

[listicle id=672911]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Cowboys News: Malik Hooker analysis, 53-man roster prediction, fantasy outlook for Elliott

The Cowboys have added another safety, what can fans expect? A bounce-back projection for Ezekiel Elliott means drafting him, where, in fantasy? The latest news and notes as defense dominates training camp practice No. 4.

The possibility of the Cowboys signing safety Malik Hooker has been floating around Dallas since March. After a second visit last week, and a workout on Tuesday, the former first-round finally signed with America’s Team. Dak Prescott and the offense spent the first several days looking sharp in Oxnard. However, the defense stole the show on Day 4 of practice by causing a plethora of turnovers.

With training camp in full swing, roster spots are up for grabs for the 2021 season. K.D. Drummond took a shot at predicting who will make the cut for the first regular-season game in September. La’el Collins missed the entire 2020 season after having hip surgery and now he’s leaner than ever before and hungry to regain his 2019 level of play. Neville Gallimore’s Year 2 jump, Trevon Diggs being focused on making interceptions count, Damontae Kazee’s big day at practice in the aftermath of the Hooker signing, and more take center stage in the news and notes.

Cowboys, Mike McCarthy fined for OTA violations

The Cowboys were fined $100,000 and head coach Mike McCarthy was fined $50,000 fo OTA violations on Thursday. The reasons are undisclosed.

NFL teams are losing money left and right. It was announced Thursday afternoon that the Washington Football Team will be fined $10 million due to a misconduct violation. In addition, the league dropped another bomb shortly after this was announced.

Three more teams would have to pay the piper as well. The Dallas Cowboys, along with the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, were hit with fines for OTA violations, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.

The team was fined due to offseason workout violations according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The specifics are unknown, but among the possibilities are the intensity of practice and how much contact there is between players. In addition, the Cowboys will also forfeit an undisclosed number of OTA days in 2022.

The organization declined to comment on the violations, per Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. 

America’s team is currently on a break until they reconvene at the end of the month for training camp in Oxnard, California.

[listicle id=672643][listicle id=672739][lawrence-newsletter]

Cowboys scrap final minicamp practice, on break until training camp

Coach Mike McCarthy liked what he saw in limited sessions enough to turn Thursday into a “group dynamic event” before dismissing players.

School’s out for summer. Or for 40 days, anyway.

The Cowboys coaching staff has concluded 2021 OTAs and minicamp, even scratching the final day of practice on Thursday in favor of a “team-bonding activity,” according to Michael Gehlken of the Dallas Morning News. Players are now free to disperse and will reconvene for training camp, which is likely to be held once again in Oxnard, California starting on or around July 20.

The Cowboys held six OTAs and two minicamp practices, well below the ten OTAs and three minicamp sessions allowed under the NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement. Head coach Mike McCarthy was pleased enough with the team’s progress that he “reprogrammed” Thursday’s practice- what would have been the team’s third- into “a group dynamic event” that was closed to media.

“We took accountability for not hitting the target virtually last year as a coaching staff,” McCarthy said on Wednesday.

“I spent most of my time comparing this year’s offseason program to prior offseason programs when you have a full slate. We’re doing a much better job,” he continued. “Our learning environment is clearly, and it had to be- there’s no choice- much better than it was this time last year. I think it’s clearly reflected on what we’re getting done on the field.”

Unlike several teams who have had numerous players skipping voluntary OTAs as per NFLPA recommendations, the Cowboys’ sessions saw nearly full attendance. Only punter Hunter Niswander sat out, as he is dealing with a family medical concern regarding his pregnant wife.

Now everyone on the team has over five weeks off before training camp. Expect to see social media posts from beaches and boats, as well as a slew of personal workout videos while the players get in some rest and relaxation- and maybe a few workout reps on their own- as they prepare for the long grind of the 2021 season.

[listicle id=672177]

[vertical-gallery id=670530]

[listicle id=672060]

[lawrence-newsletter]

Cowboys’ McCarthy on Prescott: ‘He’s the keystone of this football team’

During Mike McCarthy’s press conference on Thursday, he discussed Dak Prescott getting his new deal and how he’s the lifeblood of the team.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy took the podium for the first time in a long time on Thursday. The head man in Big D went over a plethora of topics that included Dan Quinn and the defensive scheme, free agency, and the status of offensive linemen Tyron Smith and La’el Collins.

The biggest news about the Cowboys this offseason, or the entire NFL for that matter, was the long-awaited contract extension of Dak Prescott. After nearly two years and three rounds of negotiations, the Cowboys and Prescott agreed to a four-year deal worth $160 million. McCarthy was very candid when he was asked about his reaction to having his franchise quarterback signed long-term.

“I was actually in Florida when the deal was finally completed,” McCarthy said. “It’s a lot easier to do cartwheels on the sand. I’ll say that. Rich is having a hell of a visual over there right now. I was obviously very excited. He is definitely a keystone of moving forward as a football team. I was very excited about that. He was just finishing up his workout on the field as I walked in here. He’s making progress and he’s on course. I’m excited about year two of the offense because frankly in a lot of ways we feel like we really didn’t get to have year one. We’re excited about what we can do this year with a healthy offense.”

The coronavirus pandemic flipped the NFL world upside-down. It shut down normal protocol for the league’s offseason activities. Teams were forced to communicate virtually with limited OTAs and training camp access. With a full offseason with Prescott in 2021, McCarthy talked about how the players and coaches need time to gel and how Prescott is a regular at the team’s facility.

“We have a lot of ideas but until we know the schedule we don’t know exactly how we can go about it. We’re in a virtual mindset and how that’s going to look, that’s to be determined. Dak lives here. He’s here every day.”

“He’s the keystone of this football team. That’s the way I view it. That’s the way we’re going to push forward with it too. The quarterback touches the ball every play. But also, his presence and his natural leadership ability is something that will continue to grow. I think you’ll see that in the locker room.”

Prescott may have only played in five games in 2020 but he was on an insane pace. He led the NFL with 1,856 passing yards and was completing 68% of his passes (highest of his career) through his first four contests. Wide receivers Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup, and CeeDee Lamb were all on pace for 1,000-yard seasons.

Prescott’s injury didn’t come in the pocket but rather while he was using his legs in Week 5 against the New York Giants. He suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle. The Cowboys won that game, but went 4-7 the rest of the season and missed the playoffs.

McCarthy doesn’t feel Prescott should be hesitant going forward even with his injury but does think he has to be more cautious.

“I don’t think he needs to be lowering his shoulder and stiff-arming maybe as much. Jerry probably wants him to run out of bounds every play. I think he’s got to be a little more mindful of it. You don’t ever want to tell a player, I don’t ever try to make a statement to a player that would make him hesitate because hesitation in the NFL is you’re a full step slower than the opponent and it can put you in a worse position.”

The return of Prescott puts the Cowboys right at the top of the NFC East. In 2021, they’ll look to make the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

 

Mike McCarthy dishes on hiring Dan Quinn, Cowboys defensive scheme

Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy discussed the defensive leadership under Dan Quinn and the scheme that will be used in 2021.

It’s been a while since Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy had an opportunity to speak to the media. Thursday, with his second season guiding the ship in Dallas on the horizon, McCarthy discussed a lot of topics during his press conference and defense was one of the first items on the list.

The Cowboys gave up a franchise-record 473 points in 2020 which led to the firing of Mike Nolan and the addition of Dan Quinn as the team’s new defensive coordinator. When asked about what went wrong defensively and how the team is looking to improve in that aspect, McCarthy has this to say.

“Well, when you look at our team from 2020 to 2021, the largest change is clearly on defense,” McCarthy said. “That’s something that we felt was needed across the board, but it’s clearly not my vision of the football team and how I see a football team competing to be consistent because consistency puts you in place to win championships. I clearly understand the excitement and the optimism each and every year of every NFL team but the efficiency and consistency of how you operate and how you practice, how you build a 90-man roster, all those things that all plays into being consistent because the only way to get there is to be knocking on the door each and every week, each and every day.”

The Cowboys allowed eight different teams to score 30 or more points in 2020. This led to them finishing 28th in points allowed. Also, they were 31st against the run, with only the Houston Texans being worse in that respect.

McCarthy also mentioned he feels Quinn is the man to turn the Cowboys defense into a respectable one.

“The focus of change will definitely be on the defense,” McCarthy said.

“Obviously, with the change in the coordinator and the coaches, we feel the direction where I see the team needs to go is going to come under the leadership of Dan Quinn. I’ve known Dan for quite some time and having the chance to be in position to hire him is definitely a huge asset to our football operations. Schematically, to the naked eye, or laymen’s terms, I don’t think we’ll see a whole lot because I think it’s important to build off of what we did accomplish the second eight weeks in our ability to take the ball away. There was probably some conceptional things that felt like our players really understood and played fast with which wasn’t evident in the first eight weeks. This isn’t a start-over situation, we are able to build off of some of the things we accomplished last year. That definitely was apart of my thinking. Having the opportunity to hire Dan and I really like the way the staff has come together. The energy, the enthusiasm, the diversity of some of the systems, so it’s an opportunity for improvement and I think we are definitely on the right path there.”

Quinn made his name in the NFL as the defensive coordinator for the infamous “Legion of Boom” with the Seattle Seahawks which produced the league’s top unit in 2013 and 2014 and won a Super Bowl. He implemented some of those same principles with the Atlanta Falcons, but McCarthy sees it being a little different in Dallas.

“Well, if you look at the way they played in Seattle and Atlanta, from my view it is different. So much gets made about the 3-4 and the 4-3, it’s really not about that. It’s more about the techniques that fit the players and their ability to play. We are player over scheme, I’ve always been that way. I think it’s part of my experience of coaching a very young team year in and year out.

“The ability to have the 3-4 components to it and the 4-3 components based on how you view what that is. It’s more about the techniques, the alignments, the assignments in a front that we’ll ask our guys to play. You’ll see both those components where it’s not a whole lot different than what Mike was trying to get to last year. It will be a tighter blend of that.”

The Cowboys have added a few players during free agency that can play in either a 3-4 or a 4-3. Carlos Watkins played defensive end in a 3-4 scheme with the Texans but slid inside on passing downs in a four-man front. Also, Tarell Basham was an outside linebacker in the New York Jets 3-4 scheme but will show his versatility as an edge rusher in a 4-3 adding value to what the Cowboys have in DeMarcus Lawrence and Randy Gregory.

It’s no secret the Cowboys are loaded offensively, but if the Cowboys want to bring a sixth Lombardi trophy home the defense will have to be a lot better going forward.

[listicle id=666909][lawrence-newsletter]

4th-and-how-much? IT DOESN’T MATTER! Cowboys’ McCarthy is a go

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was the best fourth down decision maker in the NFL in 2020.

Near the end of the 2019 season, the Mike McCarthy public relations tour began. It reached a fever pitch when Peter King wrote about him in his weekly column, reading like an advert from the Dallas Cowboys head coach’s agency. The biggest takeaway? Analytics would play a big role in his decision making going forward.

Last year’s season went about as badly as one could have expected. How much of that can be blamed on McCarthy is less than the angriest fan would imagine. One thing is for sure: he held up his end of the deal on fourth downs in 2020.

No coach made the correct decision on fourth down with four or less yards to go more often than McCarthy did with the Cowboys. That might seem like a niche stat pulled from the recesses of the internet in order to defend a Dallas coach that oversaw one of their worst seasons in recent memory, but the fact is that coaches are too conservative in that exact situation.

McCarthy wasn’t. Nor did he have nearly his full complement of offensive weapons. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him become more conservative with a healthier team on the field in 2021, but if he’s true to his word, he’ll continue his all-gas-no-brakes decision making on fourth down.

 

4th-and-how-much? IT DOESN’T MATTER! Cowboys’ McCarthy is a go

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy was the best fourth down decision maker in the NFL in 2020.

Near the end of the 2019 season, the Mike McCarthy public relations tour began. It reached a fever pitch when Peter King wrote about him in his weekly column, reading like an advert from the Dallas Cowboys head coach’s agency. The biggest takeaway? Analytics would play a big role in his decision making going forward.

Last year’s season went about as badly as one could have expected. How much of that can be blamed on McCarthy is less than the angriest fan would imagine. One thing is for sure: he held up his end of the deal on fourth downs in 2020.

No coach made the correct decision on fourth down with four or less yards to go more often than McCarthy did with the Cowboys. That might seem like a niche stat pulled from the recesses of the internet in order to defend a Dallas coach that oversaw one of their worst seasons in recent memory, but the fact is that coaches are too conservative in that exact situation.

McCarthy wasn’t. Nor did he have nearly his full complement of offensive weapons. It wouldn’t be shocking to see him become more conservative with a healthier team on the field in 2021, but if he’s true to his word, he’ll continue his all-gas-no-brakes decision making on fourth down.

 

Emmitt Smith dishes on Elliott, Cowboys’ rough year on defense, talks McCarthy’s future

The NFL’s all-time rushing leader thinks his former team is close to returning to championship form, but needs to address a few key issues.

Emmitt Smith is the last Dallas player to score a touchdown in the Super Bowl. He went to three of them with the Cowboys of the 1990s. And he believes that despite a disheartening 6-10 campaign this season, the Cowboys of the 2020s are on the doorstep of returning.

“I don’t think we’re far away from becoming a very, very good team,” Smith says. “I really don’t.”

The league’s all-time leading rusher sat down recently with fellow Pro Football Hall of Famer Morten Andersen on the ex-kicker’s podcast, “The Great Dane Nation Podcast.” Over the course of a wide-ranging conversation, the eight-time Pro Bowler was asked if Dallas fans have already seen the best that current Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has to offer.

“I don’t think you have,” Smith said of the five-year veteran who has won two rushing titles. “I think with Ezekiel Elliott, many people forget that Zeke had COVID-19 before the season even got started, and no one knows what COVID-19 will do to your body until you go through it. If you look at his body and play through the first five, six weeks of the season, his body structure, his weight looked a little bit different than the latter part of the season. Physically- you just look at him- he looks a lot leaner in the latter part of the season than he did in the first part of the season.”

Elliott had a down year, failing to crack 1,000 yards on the season and not topping 100 yards in a game until Week 11. He found the end zone as a rusher just six times and posted his lowest yards-per-carry tally of his career. Of arguably more concern, though, were the six fumbles he had in 2020, including five in the team’s first six games.

“Now, in the first part of the season, obviously, he had some fumbling issues,” Smith told Andersen. “Granted, they get paid on the other side of the ball like we do; not to make any excuses, but I do believe that Zeke will be better for what he has gone through this year. He will prepare and probably start to take care of himself differently for what he has gone through this year. And I think with Tony Pollard, there’s a great one-two punch.”

But the 2020 Cowboys took more punches than they delivered. And that, Smith says, is the far bigger obstacle to the team’s chances of returning to championship form.

“Defense. Defense!” the Super Bowl XXVIII MVP stressed. “We couldn’t stop a soul. We couldn’t get off the field on third down. And I understand early in the season, when we turn the ball over, the defense is out there quite a bit, and I understand that piece. But still, our defense was so much more solid last year, and I think that’s a product of the defensive change versus the players. I think you’ve got players that [are] not suited quite nicely for this style of defense. And so when you bring in new coordinators, do your players actually fit your style? And do your players actually understand your style and understand your defense totally? And do they have the discipline to make the fits work? Or are they creating more issues? And I saw our defense creating more issues, running out of zones and creating bigger zones for guys to run the ball with. That’s a problem. And that has to get corrected this offseason.”

Head coach Mike McCarthy has already taken steps toward that end, replacing defensive coordinator Mike Nolan with former Falcons coach Dan Quinn. Defensive line coach Aden Durde and secondary coach/defensive pass game coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. will also look to revamp the Dallas defense in McCarthy’s second season.

Smith’s coach, Jimmy Johnson, took the doormat Cowboys from worst in the league to the division round of the playoffs in just his third season. The Hall of Famer believes McCarthy may be on a similarly short leash when it comes to securing his place in Dallas.

“I think this year was an experimental year for Mike McCarthy,” Smith said, “to see exactly what he had: coaching style, defensive-wise, player- or personnel-wise, and all those kind of things, including coordinator-wise. And I think if he wants to right this ship, he’d better make some significant adjustments this offseason.”

The club will have the opportunity to do that with new talent come April. The Cowboys are projected to have a total of ten picks in the upcoming draft. And Smith emphasizes using those picks wisely to shore up the underachieving defensive unit.

“I think it begins with the draft. Drafting defensive players,” Smith posited. “Because think about it, Sean Lee is getting a little long in the tooth. No disrespect to Sean Lee; he’s going to give us his effort. Leighton Vander Esch obviously has sustained a number of injuries over the last two years; don’t know how long and productive he will be. Jaylon Smith is going to give us his all. These guys, they’re going to fight. They’re going to do what they’ve got to do, but you’ve got to bring in some guys to replace and back these guys up. You just cannot depend upon them all season long.”

Few players were as dependable as Smith. Over his 15 seasons as a pro, Smith missed just 11 games due to injury, and most of them came in his final two years as an Arizona Cardinal. So the workhorse knows how to maintain a long career as an NFL running back.

Smith believes that Tennessee’s Derrick Henry is currently the best rusher in the sport, but has solid advice that Elliott- who missed the first game in his career due to injury in Week 15- could no doubt benefit from, as well.

“Take care of your body. Make sure you’re getting your massages twice a week. I recommend you get a massage on Monday after a game and on Friday before the weekend comes. Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water and hydrating,” Smith suggested. “Get your proper rest. Now, once the season is over, make sure you get some rest as well. And don’t rest long; I mean, rest two weeks or something like that. Then make sure you’re doing some hot yoga or some things, light things that are not so taxing and draining on your body physically. But it’s giving you the foundation that you need to continue to build upon these building blocks that you’ve already established. Find a good chiropractor, to make sure that your body is aligned and functioning properly.”

Smith admits he enjoys acting as a mentor for today’s crop of players, just as older Cowboys legends like Roger Staubach did for him in his day.

“Lean on me. That’s what I’m here for.”

It’s been a quarter-century since Smith plunged into the end zone in the final quarter of the Cowboys’ most recent Super Bowl appearance. Maybe leaning on him now will indeed help the current squad get back there.

[vertical-gallery id=661889]

[listicle id=662585]

[listicle id=662549]

[lawrence-newsletter]

5 questions Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy needs to answer

After a disappointing first campaign, the Cowboys head coach has to improve and quickly. Here’s what we want to know.

Over my decade of covering the Dallas Cowboys, I’ve been blessed with the opportunity to interview a slew of franchise greats; from current Hall of Famers Roger Staubach, Emmitt Smith to Rayfield Wright, to future ones such as DeMarcus Ware to Jason Witten. I’ve interviewed many others, from star players like Amari Cooper to lesser known rookies such as Terence Mitchell and Brandon Magee. They’ve all been a blast to do and I think I acquitted myself well in those conversations.

But I’ve never been in a position to interview one of the Dallas head coaches. The organization doesn’t make it easy for those outside the national or local media scene to get access to their players and coaches, so I’m normally relegated to my own devices to get interviews and it’s a chase that I’ve chosen not to pursue more often than not. But I’d love the opportunity to sit down and talk with head coach Mike McCarthy, because there are a myriad of questions I want answers to about what transpired during the 2020 season.

For full disclosure, I was a huge fan of the McCarthy hire.

When I was running my Jason Garrett replacement power rankings down the stretch of the 2019 season, McCarthy was a top guy. In fact, he only ranked behind trading picks away to get Bill Belichick and Sean Payton. I believed in his ability to take the team to the Super Bowl and thought the issue in Green Bay was more about things getting stale (remember the context of Garrett’s tenure ending) than him riding the coattails of Aaron Rodgers.

Now? I’m not so sure. I still think great things are possible, but I think it’s just as possible the Jones’ are paying the final three years of McCarthy’s salary to have him go away come January 2022 as the Cowboys are in an NFC championship game.

So with all that in mind, here are what I’d like to ask him if I was afforded the opportunity.

How do you make decisions about playing time in a lost season, between veterans and guys who could help you in the future?

Wouldn’t it have made sense to be playing guys like Garrett Gilbert, Tyler Biadasz, Bradlee Anae, Francis Bernard and getting them reps instead of Andy Dalton, Joe Looney, Dorance Armstrong and Joe Thomas?

While the stock answer is going to be about the team remaining in playoff contention until Week 17, it was still very frustrating to watch the team have a bad season and not get information about the slew of young players on the roster. Perhaps they got their answers in practice, that’s a legit reason. But it still seems like these guys deserved some chance to prove it on the field.

Biadasz was activated from IR in December, but he never got his job back. That seems crazy and deserves a follow up question, at least.

In your introductory press conference, you made a joke about lying to the Jones family about how much you studied the 2019 Dallas Cowboys. So how much work did you really put in?

It was all smiles and awkward giggles when he made the admission, but as an amateur body-language expert (I’m not really), I think Stephen Jones was mighty taken back. Cue up the video.

How difficult is it to have to fire coaches who you brought in after just one season?

Dallas fired Mike Nolan, Jim Tomsula and let Mo Linguist leave to go back to college after just one year in the organization.

McCarthy, like pretty much every other coach ever, brought his boys with him when he was given the job. Joe Philbin, Nolan and position coaches Al Harris and Scott McCurley all spent time with him at previous stops. Was Jim Tomsula essentially hired by Nolan and how much role do you have over the defense and how it functions?

What are your feelings watching the Green Bay Packers go 13-3 in back-to-back years without you?

I’d really like to get into the depths of this question here. I’m sure the first salvo would be a generic response about being happy for Aaron Rodgers and yadda yadda about being together for too long, but I’d hope to be able to dive deeper with follow ups.

How does being around each other too long manifest itself in a football relationship? Were there upticks in disagreement and fights? What does Matt Lafluer’s offense do that yours didn’t, and vice versa? Do you believe the draft should be used to help now or build to the future? Could you ever see a situation where you and Rodgers work together again?

How much did expecting Dak Prescott to be the forever QB of Dallas play a part in wanting to take the job?

This is a leading question. McCarthy spoke glowingly of Prescott early and often throughout the early parts of the honeymoon phase. Here, I’d be looking to glean information about the organization’s direction in negotiating with Prescott as the QB faces a second consecutive franchise tag. Any waffling on a long-term relationship with Prescott would lead me to ask follow ups about the negotiations to see if there’s any slipping of information.