Jerry Jones sends firm message to Mike McCarthy

Jul 26, 2022; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones at training camp press conference at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is not thrilled with his head coach over a non-challenge in Sunday’s loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy opted not to challenge when CeeDee Lamb was ruled just short after a third down play against Philadelphia. Replays indicated that Lamb appeared to have picked up the first down, but McCarthy did not throw the red flag and instead went for it on fourth-and-short. Dallas did not convert, and turned the ball over on downs.

Jones was openly critical of McCarthy’s decision in a Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan’s “Shan and RJ” show, saying the non-challenge was a “mistake” that would not happen again.

“That’s a mistake,” Jones said, via Dallas Morning News SportsDay. “And you have a game, you’re going to have some mistakes, you’re going have some goals you’d like to have back. And the minute we saw it and saw that he had made it, then you obviously knew it was a mistake not to have it reviewed and how we do that in the box, who we’ve got doing those kinds of things, that’s why you look back, take these games, take what happened in the game and get better at it and improve on it. And we need to look at that and say, ‘Let’s not do that again.'”

This is not the most stinging criticism Jones can offer, but it’s a clear message to McCarthy. Jones has not shied away from these sorts of comments, and it does not help that he already may have a successor in mind for McCarthy.

The Cowboys are 4-2 and are doing fine, but mistakes are magnified in Dallas. Jones is demonstrating as much with these comments.