National Football League

Dallas Cowboys sticking with Mike McCarthy, Dan Quinn

Published Jan. 28, 2022 5:59 p.m. ET

One word that can usually be synonymous with the Dallas Cowboys is … drama.

But it appears as if this offseason could be smooth sailing for the Cowboys with the recent endorsement that owner Jerry Jones gave to head coach Mike McCarthy, indicating his job status was "never in question."

When the Cowboys bowed out of the playoffs with a loss to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round, there was immediate speculation about whether the team would move on from McCarthy this offseason.

Names that were mentioned as possible replacements were his own offensive and defensive coordinators, Kellen Moore and Dan Quinn, as well as Sean Payton, who stepped down as the New Orleans Saints' head coach this past week.

Now, it appears McCarthy is in the clear for at least one more season, and he will be joined by Quinn as his defensive coordinator once again.

In two years as the Cowboys' head coach, McCarthy has compiled an 18-11 record, winning the NFC East this past season while also leading them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Now, he and Quinn will get to build on a strong 2021 campaign in hopes of taking the next step toward a Super Bowl.

This decision is the safe one for the Cowboys, but it has been met with some immediate pushback, from FS1's Skip Bayless in particular.

But while the Cowboys do have stability at the head coaching and defensive coordinator positions, Moore's future as the offensive coordinator remains in question.

One of the hottest names on the coaching market after leading the Cowboys to the highest-scoring offense in the NFL this season (31.2 PPG) and second in passing yards (282.4 YPG), Moore is one of three finalists for the Miami Dolphins head coaching position.

With Moore calling the offensive plays, quarterback Dak Prescott set a new Cowboys franchise record for passing touchdowns in a season with 37.

His departure could prove to be costly for the Cowboys, but that bridge won't have to be crossed until the Dolphins make a final decision on the future of their head coaching position.

For now, the Cowboys have stability within their coaching staff, something that didn't seem likely just a week ago.

And stability could be just what the doctor ordered for "America's Team."