Mike McCarthy reportedly spent the night at Jerry Jones’ house on Saturday
The Dallas Cowboys did not formally announce they were parting ways with Jason Garrett until Sunday evening, but Jerry Jones was already cozying up with Garrett’s replacement at least 24 hours prior to that.
Mike McCarthy interviewed with the Cowboys over the weekend, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that things went so well that he ended up spending the night as a guest in Jones’ home. As one source told Schefter, it was a done deal from there.
New Cowboys’ HC Mike McCarthy stayed over Jerry Jones’ house on Saturday night, per source. “Once you stay at Jerrry’s house, he doesn’t lose his guy,” said source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 6, 2020
McCarthy confirmed on Monday that he has agreed to a deal with the Cowboys.
The only other candidate the Cowboys interviewed was Marvin Lewis, and it’s worth noting that interviewing him satisfied the Rooney Rule. With the way things played out, it seems like Dallas knew all along that McCarthy was their guy.
Jones and the Cowboys have faced criticism for the way they handled the situation with Garrett, and Troy Aikman ripped them on Sunday for dragging things out. However, Garrett was said to be lobbying to keep his job, and he has a close relationship with the Jones family. It’s possible they simply wanted to hear him out, though he never actually had a chance to remain with the team.
McCarthy enjoyed success with the Green Bay Packers and has won a Super Bowl, and Jones was looking for an experienced candidate to replace Garrett. He found one that not only has a solid track record but was also 7-3 against the Cowboys during his time coaching in Green Bay. That certainly helped McCarthy.
