Saints planned to interview Mike McCarthy; McCarthy didn’t garner enough interest from Saints and will take a year off (3 Viewers)

[3ParStillDriver]

Fun fact for all those who say McCarthy was a loser in Dallas. From 2021-2023, only TWO teams had at least 36 wins, the Cowboys and Chiefs.

Sure, the Chiefs won it all, but somehow the Cowboys underachieved when no other team could win 36 out of 54 games over that span.

Again, people love to take away the context and point to numbers. The Chiefs consistently won when it mattered. The Cowboys rarely did. The Cowboys during that time commonly lost to playoff teams and beat teams who couldn't make the playoffs. I'm not going to pretend thats good, and I haven't any desire to settle for a coach who can only win during the season as long as they're not playing against playoff teams. This is exactly why McCarthy was fired, again.

 

[DavidM]

Yeah and if we were to fire DA, then we were potentially missing out on a great HC or HOF coach. No one, including ML should’ve made an asinine statement like that. Maybe if he would’ve not used cue cards from his back pocket, he could’ve landed his execution on the attempt. It was a ridiculous comment then and it gets more laughable by the day. Plus, I don’t hate ML, I’ve been one of his biggest supporters of all time, but I’m done defending him. No hate, just can’t back his decisions.

It still isn’t true that Loomis said Allen was “the next Chuck Noll.” He was citing examples of when patience paid off. It’s understood that he and the team had confidence in Allen. It didn’t work out and the team is moving on.

 

[DavidM]

This is exactly why McCarthy was fired, again.

This continues to be incorrect. It’s widely reported the two sides had talks to work out an extension and couldn’t reach an agreement, so his contract wasn’t renewed. A team doesn’t negotiate with a coach they don’t have some interest in retaining.

 

[bigdaddysaints]

Comparing Reid and Mccarthy is silly because Mahomes is the difference here and if Reid didnt have Mahomes then nobody would even be talking about Reid.

If you tell me that we get Mahomes and Mccarthy everyone would be singing super bowl songs.

But the reality is Mccarthy would be inheriting a worse roster and to be frank front office than what he had in Dallas with the Saints.

The general consensus among media, even Saints fans laughed at the cowboys over the last few years because they underachieved in the playoffs. Now we want the guy that was the leader in that. The Cowboys had way more talent during Mccarthys regime than to just win 1 playoff games in 4 attempts.

Mccarthy since 2017 is 1-3 in the playoffs. You have to back 8 years before you see any significant success Mccarthy has had in the playoffs.

i've asked this question many times in this thread and no one will answer.
name ONE coach in Dallas after Jimmy Johnson that didn't underacheive with very good teams in Dallas?
there is one common demoninator, and its Jerry Jones. a coach hads ZERO control over players, coaches, and other personel. If the league would let an owner coach, Jones would be on the sidelines... i don't blame coaches for trying.
I can't wait for Dion Sanders to be the coach of Dallas. Sanders will have the balls to tell Jones how it is, but i don't expect Sanders to be there very long because of it.

 

[DaveXA]

Comparing Reid and Mccarthy is silly because Mahomes is the difference here and if Reid didnt have Mahomes then nobody would even be talking about Reid.

If you tell me that we get Mahomes and Mccarthy everyone would be singing super bowl songs.

But the reality is Mccarthy would be inheriting a worse roster and to be frank front office than what he had in Dallas with the Saints.

The general consensus among media, even Saints fans laughed at the cowboys over the last few years because they underachieved in the playoffs. Now we want the guy that was the leader in that. The Cowboys had way more talent during Mccarthys regime than to just win 1 playoff games in 4 attempts.

Mccarthy since 2017 is 1-3 in the playoffs. You have to back 8 years before you see any significant success Mccarthy has had in the playoffs.

Sure, I would just add that Dak has not played well in those playoff games. He seems to really wilt in those big games.

Also, their defense wasn't very good either in the playoffs.

That said, yeah, McCarthy has struggled to get it done in the playoffs with the Cowboys, but that's how it goes sometimes. I'd be happy winning the division regularly tho and hopefully have more playoff success.

Regardless, any of the top 3 choices I have would be a million times better than Allen.

 

[SweetT]

It still isn’t true that Loomis said Allen was “the next Chuck Noll.” He was citing examples of when patience paid off. It’s understood that he and the team had confidence in Allen. It didn’t work out and the team is moving on.

What ML did not tell people that Knoll inherited a bad team, so he progressed as a HC.
Tom Landry was the first ever HC of the Cowboys expansion team. So there was no expectations.
So, those guys didn’t inherit a team, with their own ready made defense (like DA did), or anything.
It was an absurd thing to say.

 

[Elvis]

We just fired a retread, so let's try one more time. Mick will probably go the perceived safe choice but I wouldn't be surprised. I don't trust him and this probably won't end well.

Not all retread head coaches are built the same. DA coached to 26 total victories which is good for 180th all time. Mike McCarthy has 174 which is third amongst current head coaches and 13th all time. DA never coached a double digit wins team. Mike McCarthy 11 different time on two different teams.

 

[DavidM]

What ML did not tell people that Knoll inherited a bad team, so he progressed as a HC.
Tom Landry was the first ever HC of the Cowboys expansion team. So there was no expectations.
So, those guys didn’t inherit a team, with their own ready made defense (like DA did), or anything.
It was an absurd thing

The team made a decision to hire Allen and then reiterated their confidence. I’m not sure of the timing of the comment, but Allen did have the team on an upward trajectory from season 1 to season 2, even though they failed to meet expectations. I can understand why they felt like this could trend in the direction we were all hoping for. Then the team looked like world beaters through the first two weeks of this season and I think pretty much everybody was hoping we were really turning a corner. Alas.

It didn’t work out and that’s disappointing. There is plenty to criticize and second guess without twisting throw-away lines, IMO.

 

[HouseCall]

The team made a decision to hire Allen and then reiterated their confidence. I’m not sure of the timing of the comment, but Allen did have the team on an upward trajectory from season 1 to season 2, even though they failed to meet expectations. I can understand why they felt like this could trend in the direction we were all hoping for. Then the team looked like world beaters through the first two weeks of this season and I think pretty much everybody was hoping we were really turning a corner. Alas.

It didn’t work out and that’s disappointing. There is plenty to criticize and second guess without twisting throw-away lines, IMO.

I always said relative to the Allen hate, that I’d only ever judge him if it seemed he wasn’t attempting to fix the team’s issues.

Allen tried to do what was right. He brought in a veteran QB, the changed the coordinators, he brought in Gruden to consult - he made an effort to adapt and change but at the end of the day, he just wasn’t good enough to lead an entire team. Very good defensive coordinator, but bad head coach. It happens.

That’s why part of me is interested in Glenn, despite my desire for offensive innovation. I want to see what he can do with HC job.

 

[Belfast Saint]

I always said relative to the Allen hate, that I’d only ever judge him if it seemed he wasn’t attempting to fix the team’s issues.

Allen tried to do what was right. He brought in a veteran QB, the changed the coordinators, he brought in Gruden to consult - he made an effort to adapt and change but at the end of the day, he just wasn’t good enough to lead an entire team. Very good defensive coordinator, but bad head coach. It happens.

That’s why part of me is interested in Glenn, despite my desire for offensive innovation. I want to see what he can do with HC job.

And you could argue, whatever his faults, DA might have been more successful had the team not been repeatedly crushed by key injuries. Perhaps those injuries were 'self-inflicted' but that's difficult to really establish without any doubt.

But he was given time, and it didn't work and I think that was his final chance as HC (probably).

 

[guillermo]

There are pros and cons on this possible signing as with every other candidates.

The most important thing is that with McCarthy you know what you get. A very competitive coach, who has not been able to take the next step after winning one Super Bowl.

To me, his weakest point is to keep calm in high pressure situations. There was terrible management of plays and clock on some of Dallas' playoff games. Makes you wonder about preparation and communication on the last 2 minutes of the game.

One thing I will be very curious about, is McCarthy building a staff. In Dallas, when named coach he inherited Kellen Moore and hired Dan Quinn. It seems that Mike Zimmer was another Jerry Jones' hires.

I think McCarthy will be comfortable inheriting Kubiak and Rizzi, if no better choices are available, but I have no clue how will he build a new defence for the saints.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

My least favorite candidate is Mike McCarthy. He is the high-floor, low ceiling candidate. If you feel we need a real change in direction and culture, he is not the coach. He is the status-quo choice. On the other hand, if you believe that the Saints have been victims of bad luck and bad bounces and are legitimate contender, then he may be your high guy. He would bring some stability. He is not a bad coach. But at this stage of his career, he is a mediocre coach.

Yes, he has great career numbers. But in Green Bay, he had Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers as his quarterbacks, an incredible front office led by Bob Harlan and Mark Murphy, and very talented teams. And he had talent in Dallas. There are reasons other than Katrina that Sean Payton wanted badly the Green Bay job in 2006.

Are there people in Green Bay who think the Packers should have kept McCarthy and would prefer McCarthy over LaFleur? Not many. And I suspect most in Dallas think Jerry kept McCarthy too long as head coach. There are reasons that two different teams parted ways with him.

Regarding the question of whom do I prefer, I am tended to say none of the above. I am not thrilled about Glenn--who seems to be the prohibitive favorite. I would open the field as wide as possible and am willing to throw deep. We are going nowhere in the next two years anywhere. My fear is that two years from now some reporter will be asking Loomis why he is right person to be general manager, and he will still be saying because he had success before. I wonder if Mickey uses that criterion for evaluating his financial advisor. I doubt it.

 

[RJ in Lafayette]

Guillermo, he builds a defense by hiring Mike Zimmer.

Were Zimmer six to eight years younger, he would be someone I would be interviewing to be head coach. He may have had an off year in Dallas, but he knows defense.

 

[SWJJ]

People are not considering the circumstances of the Cowboys Playoff losses. None of them were a result of "bad coaching." in 2023 when they lost to the Packers, they had some serious injuries, including Trevon Diggs who did not play and Cooks played gimpy and couldn't run full speed. Then Pollard lost a fumble in the second quarter, and on the next possession (I think) Dak thru a pick 6. McCarthy did not let the team roll over and die. They battled back from a 27-0 deficit to a final score of 48-32.

The 2022 Cowboys playoff loss was a tight well-played game against the 49ers. Pollard broke his Fibula in the first half and because of Jerry Jones, Jerry jonesing, the cowboys were forced to rely on a washed-up Ezekiel Elliot for their run game, handicapping what the offense could do.

The 2021 Cowboys loss to the 49ers was an epic battle. They lost Micah Parson in the first quarter with a concussion. The cowboys got jobbed when the refs took too long to spot the ball and the clock ran out before they could spike it, they were around San Frans 20 and should have had a chance to win the game. Final Score 23-17.


It's not like McCarthy's teams are not showing up in the playoffs. The dude has 11 post season wins. Andy Reid had 16 post season losses, Belichick 13, Mike Tomlin 11, and Sean Payton 10.


McCarthy is a SIGNIFICANT upgrade over what we have had since Payton left. I know he has "Cowboys stink" on him, so it's easy to hate, but the notion that he can't build teams and can't win is nonsensical.