Mike McCarthy Confirms Major Dak Prescott Pivot as Fired Coach Breaks Silence on Cowboys Loyalty

The first year of Mike McCarthy calling plays for Dak Prescott was nothing short of transformative, for both men and for the Cowboys’ offense. In 2023, Prescott led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes while setting a career-best 69.5% completion rate. Dallas dominated the scoreboard. Finishing as the league’s top-scoring team at 29.9 points per game, and ranked fifth in yards per game with 371.6. Prescott described their partnership: “Being able to work with him hand-in-hand each and every day – I know what he’s thinking. He knows my strengths, what I’m trying to get to. We know the strengths of this offense and the players around me. It’s been fun.”

But all that fun turned into pressure the moment Prescott signed that massive extension. Dallas paid him to be the guy, then changed how they used him. With that, the Cowboys pulled the reins. The runs slowed down. The offense leaned toward quick three-step drops, calculated throws, and play-action schemes instead of wild scrambles. It wasn’t about Dak losing his edge. It was about protecting the franchise’s billion-dollar gamble. The pivot came from money, not from style. And on Aug. 4, Mike McCarthy owned it.

On the Pat McAfee show, McCarthy started with advice for Dak: “Number one stay healthy. He stays healthy he’ll reach every goal he has set out for his team and himself. I do believe that in heart of hearts. I think Dak is clearly what I would call a full operational quarterback.” Dak Prescott’s 2024 season was injury-filled. It ended with him needing surgery for a partial hamstring avulsion. As the captain of the team, staying healthy has become the foundation of his formula going forward to build the roster for the next year. “When you get into the post-season and you start building your offense for the upcoming year, the concepts you’re looking to build off of, the variations that you wanna change… he’s full operational. There’s nothing that you really get out,” the Former Cowboys coach pointed out.

But the honesty spilled when McCarthy admitted Dallas once changed course after Dak’s payday. “Now he obviously ran more in his younger days. And frankly once he received a bigger contract we tried to be more selective with that. I’m not sure what direction they’re going here in the future here,” McCarthy said. “We increased the three-step emphasis. I thought he was excellent at that. The play-action, the keys, all that. Really liking the situations.” The numbers tell the story: Dak rushed 55 times in the full 2023 season but only 13 times through eight games in 2024.

And McCarthy didn’t shy away from immersing himself in the offense, embracing the play-caller role fully. He famously enjoyed having the two-way radio back in his hand during practice, a signal of his renewed hands-on approach. As McCarthy put it, “That’s the ultimate seat you want to sit in. It’s everything that goes into preparing that game plan…I think it’s only natural that I’m enjoying it.” Even Dan Quinn (Cowboys defensive coordinator at that time) noticed McCarthy’s revived competitive edge, “He’s having a blast…you can see his competitive juices going.”

This hands-on involvement translated into tangible offensive tweaks that preserved Dak’s evolving strengths while emphasizing efficiency. After losing key personnel like Ezekiel Elliott and Dalton Schultz, McCarthy and coordinators crafted a “Texas Coast” offense. A blend of classic West Coast timing and Dallas’s existing system to suit Dak’s skillset and health needs. The offense leaned on quicker reads and faster ball movement. But even after everything McCarthy did, the team couldn’t make it to the playoffs, and it resulted in him being let go without a contract extension. Still, the former coach has nothing but loyalty to the team.

Mike McCarthy’s lasting loyalty

Even after McCarthy’s efforts, the Cowboys stumbled in 2024. The team finished with a disappointing 7-10 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Injuries to key players piled up, and the offense lacked consistency. McCarthy’s contract expired at the season’s end, and after talks stalled, Dallas decided to move in a different direction. For a franchise that values winning now, McCarthy’s inability to lead Dallas deep into the playoffs was the final strike.

That’s why when Pat McAfee jokingly asked McCarthy, “The Dallas Cowboys are +8.5 tonight,” the mood shifted. McCarthy fired back without hesitation: “I’m taking the Cowboys all day long.” The room cracked up. Even though Mike was fired after a bad season, his loyalty to Dak and to the Cowboys still runs deep.

It must have stung for McCarthy to be cut loose after giving years of service and helping shape Dak into a top-tier quarterback. The Cowboys’ history of coaching turnover only adds weight to the sting. Still, McCarthy’s enduring respect for Dallas shines through, visible in his candid praise for Prescott’s resilience and leadership. His departure signaled the end of an era, but it also tells a story: that coaches also get fired in Dallas if they don’t perform well.