That was when Jason Garrett was HC though. He was mostly a 8-8/9-7 coach, with a couple 12+ win seasons sprinkled in, which were quick one game playoff exits.
McCarthy has history of winning a lot of wildcards and divisionals, plus a Super Bowl win. I think he can repeat the same wildcard & divisional round success with the Cowboys if they don’t give up on him so fast. It’d be real Cowboys-like, but I can’t see the rook Purdy beating the Cowboys if the 49ers and Cowboys face off in the wildcard this season.
Payton would have to make a NFCCG appearance in his first year in Dallas at the least. And a Super Bowl the next year. The roster is SB-ready, but that’s some crazy media and FO pressure to deal with daily as soon as he’d step in.