Does Mike McCarthy deserve to be on the hot seat in 2024?

Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys executives have a rocky relationship, but does he deserve to be on the hot seat in 2024?

Josh Sanchez | Jun 28, 2024

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As the Dallas Cowboys enjoy some time off ahead of the start of training camp in late July, reports were swirling that head coach Mike McCarthy was getting "fed up" with Jerry Jones undermining him.

Those reports have since been refuted, but McCarthy's relationship with the Cowboys executives is still rocky.

McCarthy is reportedly upset with the team's lack of spending and urgency in free agency, while being disappointed with Micah Parsons' absent from OTAs and minicamp. McCarthy is also hoping for a new deal in Dallas as he enters the final year of his current contract.

McCarthy has led the Cowboys to three straight 12-win seasons and hired agent Don Yee during the offseason to represent him in negotiations.

But is McCarthy in the Cowboys' future plans?

MORE: Will Jerry Jones fire Mike McCarthy during season?

Does Mike McCarthy deserve to be on the hot seat in 2024?

Mike McCarthy, Dallas Cowboys head coach

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

SB Nation took a look at five NFL head coaches who deserve to be on the hot seat in 2024, and McCarthy made the list.

McCarthy has had success during his tenure with the Cowboys. His 167 career wins rank him No. 3 among active NFL coaches, but that has not translated to the postseason since he took over in Big D. If we know one thing, it's that Jerry Jones isn't going to wait forever to return to the conference championship or Super Bowl.

It was a surprise to many that McCarthy was brought back for the 2024 season after another playoff disappointment, so it only makes sense that he could be on a short lease. Jerry Jones also did McCarthy no favors, failing to add any big name free agents during the offseason.

The team is loaded with talent, but there are also a handful of unproven players who will immediately be thrown into action.

"While I think the draft class has the potential to be good, it’s a tough assignment for any rookie offensive lineman to come in and play right away," Kevin Knight of SB Nation wrote. "Tyler Guyton and Cooper Beebe could be thrust into the spotlight immediately to plug holes, and I’m not sure that will produce great results — at least, not right away.

"The receiving corps is incredibly thin after CeeDee Lamb, and the lack of urgency to address running back led to an uninspiring reunion with late-career Ezekiel Elliott."

To make matters worse for McCarthy and the Cowboys young players, the team faces a tough run immediately out of the gate.

The team faces seven 2023 playoff teams over the first ten games of the season.

If there are early season struggles, the calls for the Cowboys to move on from McCarthy will be deafening. Does he deserve to be on the hot seat? It's hard to argue against that, but it's not only his doing. The uninspiring offseason left a lot to be desired and, unfortunately, McCarthy will be the man who has to shoulder all of the blame. We know Jerry Jones won't.

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