Mike McCarthy out as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys
Mike McCarthy reacts to a play during a Dallas Cowboys home game in December against the Cincinnati Bengals.
(CNN) — “America’s Team” is hiring.
After five seasons, head coach Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys are going their separate ways.
McCarthy was in the final year of his contract and failed to guide the team to a playoff spot this past season after finishing with a 7-10 record – winning just two home games.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he and McCarthy had met to review “all aspects” of the last year, spent “considerable time” discussing the team’s future and decided the time was right to split.
“These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover,” Jones said in a statement on Monday.
“Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction.”
Dallas struggled in the playoffs during McCarthy’s time in charge, losing three times and winning once.
The 61-year-old was under the spotlight immediately after his fourth season a year ago came to an abrupt end. An inexperienced Green Bay Packers beat Dallas in a wild-card playoff game in front of the home fans.
Days after the loss, Jones stood behind the head coach, saying, “Mike’s career has demonstrated postseason success at a high level, and we have great confidence that can continue.”
Before his time in Big D, McCarthy led the Packers as their head coach for 12-plus years – leading them to eight consecutive playoffs and a Super Bowl XLV victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011 at AT&T Stadium – the home of the Cowboys.
Dallas named McCarthy the franchise’s ninth head coach in January 2020. He earned a 49-35 regular-season record, including three straight 12-win seasons.
Dallas joins five other NFL teams seeking a head coach along with the Chicago Bears, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders.
The New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel, their former player and former Tennessee Titans head coach, as their new head coach on Sunday.
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