Cowboys' head coach Mike McCarthy knows his bags are packed for him

Week 18 could be Mike McCarthy's final game with the Dallas Cowboys and it sounds as if he believes it will be.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Mike McCarthy is entering his 84th game as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys this weekend. While he can't finish this campaign with a winning record, he reeled off three straight 12-5 seasons and is 49-34 overall in Dallas.

The problem is that he's just 1-3 in the playoffs and their last postseason defeat was about as ugly of a loss as you could imagine.

That's why he went into the year without a contract beyond 2024. The belief was that he needed playoff success to convince Jerry Jones to keep him around and that won't happen since they failed to even make the postseason.

MORE: Cowboys add 'wow' factor at WR, power at RB in 3-round mock draft

Perhaps that's why McCarthy sounds like a man who knows his days are numbered. When speaking with the media ahead of the Week 18 finale, McCarthy said he has a "strong emotional attachment" to AT&T Stadium where he won a Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. He added that he was "in tune" with the fact that this could be his final game with the franchise.

Mike McCarthy when asked about Sunday potentially being his last game as Cowboys head coach and if he’ll have to fight the urge to take it all in: “I’ll be honest with you, I go to the stadium much earlier this time in my career than I used to. I won a Super Bowl in that home… pic.twitter.com/OxZDmFB5eR

— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) January 2, 2025

McCarthy was put in a tough spot by Jones. Not only did Jones refuse to give McCarthy an extension, but he did less this offseason than he has in recent memory.

That left McCarthy with a depleted roster and limited influence.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy / Tim Heitman-Imagn Images

The veteran head coach should be praised for keeping the team fighting despite everything going against them. Still, their Week 16 blowout loss was a stark reminder that things can go south in a hurry under McCarthy, which is why Jones is likely moving on.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Cowboys from Dallas Cowboys on SI —

4 takeaways from Cowboys' embarrassing loss vs. Eagles

2 winners, 4 losers from Cowboys inexcusable loss to Eagles in Week 17

Cowboys projected to land enormous WR with 'matchup-wrecking potential'

Latest news on Dallas Cowboys, Mike McCarthy contract extension talks

Former Dallas Cowboys superstar named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist

Meet Reece Allman: Star of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Netflix doc