The Cowboys have "agreed to terms" with Mike McCarthy to become their next coach, according to Fox Sports' Jay Glazer. An announcement and press conference are "expected later this week" (TWITTER.com, 1/6). ESPN.com's Todd Archer notes this hiring approach by Owner Jerry Jones and COO, Exec VP and Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones was "far different than the last full-scale search they had in 2007 after Bill Parcells' retirement." They "interviewed 10 coaches before settling on Wade Phillips." This time, the Cowboys "interviewed just Marvin Lewis and McCarthy before making their decision" (ESPN.com, 1/6).
ATTRACTIVE OPENING: YAHOO SPORTS' Frank Schwab wrote the team's current roster, as well as Jones' "desire to spend money," are main reasons why the job was "attractive." Assuming the Cowboys "figure out a way to bring back" QB Dak Prescott, there are "a lot of key pieces in place." Jones will "always be aggressive in fielding the best roster possible" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/5). THE ATHLETIC's Jon Machota noted Jones "does not view this as a rebuilding project," as he is "very confident in the nucleus of this team" (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/5). In Houston, Dan Carson writes a "new era is here for Dallas." McCarthy will be "walking into a situation loaded with lofty expectations" in '20 (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/6). In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel writes under Jason Garrett, the Cowboys "never looked like a team that was run exclusively" by Jones the way they did under former coaches Phillips, Dave Campo, Barry Switzer or Chan Gailey. Jones is now "back in charge" (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/6).
UNINSPIRING HIRE? With the Cowboys reportedly only interviewing McCarthy and Lewis for the job, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said, "You’re the Dallas Cowboys and that’s all that you did?" ESPN’s Max Kellerman said McCarthy “sold himself to Dallas as a guy who’s now going to embrace analytics and look forward.” But the “fact is it’s an uninspiring hire.” McCarthy and Lewis are “retreads that gives ownership a sense that there’s someone steering he ship, that there is someone with some executive capacity and some brand that you know and you that is going to be solid." Really what the Cowboys "need is a dynamic guy who is going to be there for 20 years and who they think that they can grow with, and that’s not what this looks like" ("First Take," ESPN, 1/6).
Garrett, who had been with the team since '07, was officially informed he would not return as coachgetty images
TRIED TO DO RIGHT BY HIM: In Ft. Worth, Clarence Hill Jr. writes the Cowboys went from "trying to show Garrett the proper respect on his way out the door to creating an uncomfortable and uneasy environment for all involved by refusing to publicly announce their intentions to move on" (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/6). NBCSPORTS.com's Peter King writes the way the Cowboys "shed" Garrett was "bizarre." King: "I understand being humane, but it seemed even worse interviewing guys for the job before Garrett was officially out" (NBCSPORTS.com, 1/6).
FANS WEREN'T ON HIS SIDE: In Dallas, David Moore writes Cowboys fans are the "one constituency the head coach didn't cultivate." While Garrett was "willing to show his true self to those in the organization," he was "reluctant to be forthcoming with the media and by extension the fans, not wanting to betray any confidences or reveal too much" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 1/6).
