Dak Prescott, the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, is deeply concerned about his head coach Mike McCarthy's contract situation. With only five guaranteed games remaining on McCarthy's contract, Prescott hopes that the team will keep him for more seasons. As Prescott recovers from season-ending surgery to repair his hamstring tear, he feels helpless as he can't directly impact the team's performance.

Cowboys' Future Hangs in the Balance with McCarthy's Contract

Prescott's Experience with Different Head Coaches

In his nine seasons with the Cowboys, Prescott has played for two head coaches. He draws on his experience of watching Jason Garrett coach the final year of his deal in 2019 to manage this challenging season. Prescott believes in McCarthy wholeheartedly and thinks he deserves another chance to coach the team with more influence. "I believe in him wholeheartedly," Prescott said. "He's a great coach and has led the team to great success in the past."During a Tuesday afternoon Zoom call, Prescott expressed his feelings about McCarthy's contract. "Your coach seems like he's playing on his last contract and [I'm] almost feeling helpless like I can't help him in this situation, especially a guy you believe in so much and you believe in being your head coach," he said. "Control what I can control, help and support Mike to every extent that I can."

The Cowboys' Recent Seasons under McCarthy

The Cowboys have posted three straight 12-win seasons from 2021 through 2023 under McCarthy. They have made the playoffs in each of McCarthy's years when Prescott has been healthy for more than half of the games. However, they have fallen far short of their postseason goals. The Cowboys have not advanced to the NFC championship, much less the Super Bowl, since the 1995 season.After the 2021 season, the San Francisco 49ers upset the Cowboys in the wild-card round. The next year, Dallas beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a soon-to-be-retired Tom Brady in the wild-card round, but the 49ers eliminated them again in the divisional round. After the 2023 season, the seventh-seeded Green Bay Packers trounced the Cowboys at home, leading 27-0 with two minutes remaining in the first half. The Cowboys then went on to lose six straight games before beating the New York Giants on Thanksgiving.

The Impact of the Packers Loss

The Packers loss had a significant impact on the Cowboys' struggles this year. Jones said Tuesday morning that he believed momentum carries from season to season, and that the Packers loss continued to influence the team. Prescott also acknowledged the importance of learning from the loss. "It hurt," Prescott said. "You've got to learn from your lessons [and] you can't come in a playoff game starting slow, especially against a team that is hot. What Jerry is saying is a late come-on rally [can help]."

The Cowboys' Playoff Chances and Future

With the Cowboys on a two-game win streak, they have a 4 percent chance of making the playoffs per Next Gen Stats. The Cowboys next host the Cincinnati Bengals on "Monday Night Football," followed by the Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Washington Commanders on their schedule. Jones and the Cowboys' front office will decide the franchise's coaching future afterward.Prescott knows his vote. He wants the coach who has helped him sharpen his footwork and timing and taught him the nuances of the game. "The guy's won a Super Bowl — I know Jerry's attested to that," Prescott said. "There's not many guys or coaches who have done that and to have one that can do it from experience? I know how valuable he's been for me."