The Cowboys had one fewer OTA day to work with than originally allotted this offseason, losing one as penalty for a 2021 organized team activity that got a little too physical.
Second verse, same as the first.
Head coach Mike McCarthy was fined again and the team docked an OTA in 2023 after the league determined that a practice- for the second year in a row-violated non-contact rules, per multiple reports Thursday night.
For the second straight year Mike McCarthy was fined by the NFL for having practices that were deemed too physical, according to owner Jerry Jones. After being fined $50,000 last year, McCarthy was docked $100,000 and the Cowboys have lost an organized team activity for 2023.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) June 16, 2022
Last year, McCarthy incurred a $50,000 fine when video of a late May practice showed “the intensity and tempo of the club’s interior line play and pass coverage during 11-on-11 drills were at a level where players were clearly engaged in physical contests.”
The coach said then, “We’re doing it the right way. There’s no question about that. Our players are trying to do it the right way… I think there were seven to nine plays that we looked at as a group, and frankly, the majority of them involved younger players, so to me it’s a learning experience. I think like anything in life, if you’re punished for trying to do too much the right way as opposed to not doing enough the right way, I think that’s a healthy experience to learn from.”
The details of this latest incident that drew a punishment have not been made public. But McCarthy’s fine has been doubled from last year’s, to $100,000.
Been covering NFL off-season practices since 1997 and there’s nothing different from a Mike McCarthy practice to any other coach I’ve covered. Other than not actually practicing I’m not sure what else he could do.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) June 16, 2022
Despite losing an entire day during this year’s voluntary OTAs, the team closed their mandatory minicamp early on Thursday, after canceling the final two of three practices. McCarthy cited having “crossed the finish line” with the material he and the coaching staff had wanted to cover.
Now their OTA schedule for 2023 has also gotten a little bit lighter already.
Not to mention McCarthy’s wallet.
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