Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy has responded to Troy Aikman’s scathing criticism of the team’s wide receivers that transpired last week.
Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys come out of the bye week with a 3-3 record, a major disappointment given their championship aspirations. They are 0-3 at home this year, giving up 40 burgers to the New Orleans Saints and Detroit Lions.
Aikman, who spent his entire Hall of Fame career in Dallas, made headlines last week when he harshly criticized the Cowboys’ wide receivers in a radio appearance on 96.7 The Ticket. Aikman said their “routes are terrible” and accused some players of being “lazy coming off the line of scrimmage.”
Former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman on @dfwticket on Dallas’ wide receivers: “I think the routes are terrible. I think they run terrible routes. And I’ve thought that beyond this year. I think CeeDee (Lamb) has got to improve in his route running. As a quarterback, if you’re not…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) October 17, 2024
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mike McCarthy said he disagreed with Aikman’s comments and that every position needs to improve, per RJ Kraft and Jon Machota of The Athletic:
“They don’t carry any weight with me, because I watch all the tape. I get to go to the meetings. I’m at practice. I’m part of the games. So I have a clear understanding of what and where. Troy’s statement in particular, I don’t agree with the word selection. There is definitely need for improvement in every position, not just one position that he commented on.”
RJ Kraft and Jon Machota
Mike McCarthy on the BIGGEST mistake coaches make…
Also, us having 3 blowouts has really derailed our offense being able to gel. Seems like the concepts practiced weren’t able to really be utilized in games…
Only two games this season we have been able to stay on schedule and… pic.twitter.com/ENo4ibVgis
— Stargazer Sports Media (@TheStarGaz3rr) October 21, 2024
While superstar wideout CeeDee Lamb is having another excellent season (32 catches for 467 yards and two touchdowns), the rest of the Dak Prescott-led offense has left a lot to be desired. Rico Dowdle leads the team with only 246 yards, and Jalen Tolbert is second in receiving with a 24-290-2 stat line.
Indeed, it was Jerry Jones and not Mike McCarthy who built this roster. But a man with nearly two decades of NFL head coaching experience has a long history of maximizing the talents of his rosters, and that hasn’t been the case here in 2024.
The 3-3 Cowboys will try to bounce back when they visit the banged-up San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium on “Sunday Night Football.”
Mike McCarthy Should Be On The Hot Seat
Jones is known for being patient with coaches, unless it’s a Hall of Famer or two-time Super Bowl champion like Jimmy Johnson. He kept Jason Garrett around for 10 years, even though the team only won two playoff games during his tenure.
But if the Cowboys don’t turn it around in the next couple of weeks, one can only wonder if Jones will hit the panic button and begin a coaching change. After all, it’s easy to fire one coach than it is to trade a bunch of players on a flawed roster.
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