Cowboys News: Jerry confirms McCarthy’s status; offense’s brotherhood, Randy White tackling opioid crisis
It seems strange that a head coach turning in his third straight 12-win season would be sitting on a hot seat, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones found himself having to reaffirm the job status of Mike McCarthy just as the team prepares to enter the postseason. This comes as other clubs are sniffing around about the No. 3 man in the Cowboys organization.
On the field, the Dallas defense must prepare for the unknown in Packers quarterback Jordan Love, all while Love can’t be sure two of his top pass-catching targets will be there for him Sunday. The Cowboys hope to force Green Bay into making a costly choice on fourth downs, we get insight into the special brotherhood that the Dallas offense has become, and we learn that Dak Prescott may have a million extra reasons to want that Super Bowl ring. We check out the going rate for wild-card tickets, we look at the power rankings heading into the first round, and we do a little daydreaming about what a (late) first-round draft pick might bring. All that, plus Sounds from the Sideline, shenanigans surrounding a popular online vote, and a Ring of Honor legend is tackling a new opponent after the opioid crisis hits close to home. News and Notes, coming right up…
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Jerry Jones clarifies recent comments about Mike McCarthy’s future with Cowboys :: Dallas Morning News
The Cowboys owner stirred things up with his “we’ll see how each game goes” comment on Sunday- regarding McCarthy’s job security- after a third straight 12-win season. Jones took to Dallas radio Tuesday to state it plainly: “I don’t know how I could be any clearer. Coach McCarthy’s under contract for next year. And so that’s not an issue. Secondly, I couldn’t be more pleased with what he’s done and how he’s coached.”
Report: Longtime Cowboys exec Will McClay sought by multiple teams for top jobs :: Cowboys Wire
The Carolina Panthers have requested to speak with the 57-year-old VP of Player Personnel about their open general manager position, and the Washington Commanders are reportedly interested in him becoming their head of football operations. McClay has been with the Cowboys since 2003.
NFL Power Rankings: Bills, Texans on the rise heading into Super Wild Card Weekend :: NFL.com
The Cowboys sit at No. 3 in the pre-wild-card power rankings, but Sunday won’t be an easy out. In fact, it actually feels like there is more pressure on Dallas’ side right now to pull out the expected win. Green Bay ranks 13th out of the 14 playoff teams.
Will Cowboys defense work against Packers enigma QB Jordan Love? :: Cowboys Wire
Love will be playing in his first playoff game, on the road. He comes in on a hot streak but only after legitimately struggling early in the season. The Cowboys can expect to find out quickly on Sunday which version of Love they’re facing.
Packers consider WR Romeo Doubs day to day with chest injury :: Packers Wire
The wide receiver was evaluated at a local hospital after suffering a chest injury during the first drive of Green Bay’s Week 18 win, but he returned to the locker room in time for the postgame celebration. Doubs and fellow wideout Christian Watson are both iffy for the opening game of the postseason.
Cowboys' punt-block prowess could force Packers to pick 4th-down poison :: Cowboys Wire
The Cowboys are responsible for two of the league’s six punt blocks this season, and they nearly got a third. Special teams coordinator John Fassel says multiple players’ reputations for the technique can also create opportunities for a sizable return on the other end of the field.
How much are tickets to the Dallas Cowboys playoff game against the Green Bay Packers? :: Fort Worth Star-Telegram
A third-party ticket reseller is your only option for attending Sunday’s wild-card showdown at AT&T Stadium, as the game is a sellout. A ticket on Seat Geek started this week at $107 for standing room only; regular seating started at $235 apiece.
NFL contract incentive winners include Baker Mayfield, Jordan Love :: ESPN
While several players earned bonus checks for hitting various on-the-field incentives this past weekend, some still have targets to shoot for. Love will earn a $500,000 bump if he wins a playoff game (with more to come for subsequent postseason wins), and Dak Prescott will earn $1 million if the Cowboys both win the Super Bowl and he plays at least 50% of the snaps.
2024 wild card schedule gives 'NFL is scripted' fans quiver of ammunition :: Cowboys Wire
From several marquee names facing their old teams to the colors in the Super Bowl logo accurately predicting the top seeds in each conference, the NFL playoffs kick off this weekend with more than enough dramatic coincidence to satisfy all the tin-hat conspiracy theorists who think the intrigue is decided ahead of time.
Cowboys coach reveals 'special' locker room autographed ball gestures: 'It's a brotherhood!' :: SI.com
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Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer said every touchdown ball from 2023 is signed by the Cowboys player who scored it, along with as another person of their choosing who helped them get there. And it’s not just the usual-suspect playmakers; guys are opting to spotlight assistant coaches at other positions or even non-coaching staffers.
Final 'Sounds from the Sideline' of regular season captures good times in big win :: Dallas Cowboys
Washington Estate 🏠#SoundsFromTheSideline | @lenovo pic.twitter.com/3RqpiFzGm4
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 10, 2024
Cowboys Twitter reacts to NFL removing Dak Prescott from FedEx Air ballot :: Cowboys Wire
Prescott’s name on the online ballot was removed after voting had begun and replaced with Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s. Allen had more passing yards than Prescott, but he threw only two touchdowns to Prescott’s four. And he personally accounted for three turnovers in Buffalo’s win over Miami. But okay…
2024 NFL Mock Draft: Bears trade down, stay with Justin Fields; Patriots, Giants start over with top-10 QBs :: CBS Sports
This exercise has Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell becoming a Cowboy with the 30th overall pick. While he’ll need to refine his technique, he has all the physical tools you look for in an NFL cornerback and is a PBU machine.
Cowboys great Randy White crusades against opioids with help from 2 defensive greats :: The Athletic
The 70-year-old Hall of Famer is helping to raise his daughter’s two young children after his son-in-law died from ingesting a fentanyl-laced painkiller. Now with former Cowboys teammate Ed “Too Tall” Jones and Bears great Mike Singletary, White is one of the faces of a pilot program fighting back against the opioid epidemic. “I know first-hand the devastation that this issue is causing families,” White said. “I do want to try to help keep other families from going through that pain and heartache.”
