Mike McCarthy expresses interest in remaining with Cowboys
Sun Jan 5 9:46pm ET
Field Level Media
Mike McCarthy's contract expires one week from Tuesday but he isn't looking to go on a free-agent tour.
McCarthy said Sunday that he wants to return to the Dallas Cowboys in 2025 for a sixth season as head coach.
Owner Jerry Jones didn't commit to retaining McCarthy following the season-ending 23-19 loss to the Washington Commanders that left the Cowboys with a 7-10 record, including a shaky 2-7 home mark.
"I've had coaches under contract that I thought we might consider a change and they were thinking maybe a change under contract," Jones said. "So this business of under or out of contract is not an influencer with me at all."
There has been recent speculation that McCarthy might be interested in shopping his services once his deal runs out. But McCarthy made it clear that he prefers to stay with the Cowboys.
"Absolutely. I have a lot invested here. And the Cowboys have a lot invested in me," McCarthy said. "And then there's a personal side to all these decisions. They all point the right direction. I think anytime you invest your time, energy, your belief, the connection you have, the relationships that are in place here, the understanding of what the organization can do and is willing to do, those are all positive attributes that you take into account.
"But, you know, absolutely, I'm a builder. I believe in building programs. I believe in developing young players. So, at the end of day, it is about winning, and you have to have those components in place to get this thing where it needs to be. I think we have a very good foundation here."
McCarthy has led Dallas to the playoffs in three of his five seasons, guiding the team to a 12-5 record on each occasion. Those sparkling campaigns came with a healthy Dak Prescott as the quarterback.
This season marked the second time Prescott sustained a season-ending injury. Both campaigns resulted in losing seasons. McCarthy is 49-35 in the regular season with Dallas.
Jones didn't have a timeline per making a decision on McCarthy but is very much aware that Jan. 14 is the final day that Dallas has exclusive negotiating rights.
Jones also said he would likely give McCarthy permission to talk to other teams.
"Mike's one of the best coaches that I think there is," Jones said. "He was made the coach here because I thought that, and he's done absolutely nothing to diminish my opinion of him as a coach."
Dallas has gone 29 seasons without reaching the Super Bowl. McCarthy won one in the 2010 season with the Green Bay Packers.
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Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 18
New York Jets running back Breece Hall carried the ball 12 times for 57 yards and caught three of his five targets for 15 yards and a touchdown while rushing for a two-point conversion in a 32-20 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 18. Hall's late-season struggles on the ground continued as he failed to top 60 rushing yards in five straight games to close out the year. That being said, he salvaged his afternoon with a six-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter. Hall finishes his 2024 season with 876 rushing yards while catching 57 passes for 483 yards and scoring eight all-purpose touchdowns. He will be back as the Jets' lead running back heading into the 2025 season, although rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis both flashed at various points throughout the season.
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New York Jets running back Braelon Allen carried the ball four times for 15 yards and caught two of his three targets for eight yards in a 32-20 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 18. Allen mixed in behind starter Breece Hall, per usual, in the high-scoring win. While he didn't hold much standalone value in fantasy this season, Allen flashed his talent at times and appears to be slated to remain a quality backup running back in the NFL moving forward. He is a solid player to roster in dynasty leagues moving forward as he is just one injury away from a big role in the New York offense.
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Dallas Cowboys running back Rico Dowdle rushed 22 times for 72 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Washington Commanders. He also caught two of his three targets for an additional 12 yards through the air. Dowdle was quite impressive throughout the 2024 season, supplanting Ezekiel Elliott as the Cowboys' undisputed No. 1 running back. He finished the campaign with 1,079 rushing yards, 249 receiving yards, and five total touchdowns through 16 games, ranking as a low-end RB2 in fantasy football. There has been plenty of speculation that the Cowboys could take an aggressive approach with their pursuit of a running back this offseason, such as drafting Ashton Jeanty. However, there's also a real possibility they feel confident in Dowdle and don't take as big of a swing for a backfield addition within the upcoming months. The 26-year-old currently still has appeal as a mid-range RB3 option heading into the 2025 campaign, and until Dallas brings in competition, this backfield belongs to Dowdle.
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While being interviewed by reporters after their 32-20 loss to the New York Jets, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill insinuated that he'd prefer to play elsewhere moving forward. "I just gotta do what's best for me and my family. If that's here or wherever the case may be...I'm out. At the end of the day, I need to do what's best for my career." Whoah. 2024 marks the first season since his rookie year that Hill had played at least 15 games and not reached 1,000 receiving yards. Additionally, it was the first time since then that he'd failed to finish as a top-ten fantasy wideout under those same parameters. The 30-year-old was visibly frustrated after the game and noted he won't be in the playoffs for the first time in his career. It's a bad look for his future prospects with the team. Still, the off-season is young for him and the Dolphins, and there will be plenty of time to speculate on where he might play in 2025. As of now, he's on contract with the team through 2026.
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Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce did his usual thing on Sunday, catching a deep 40-yard touchdown pass on the team's opening drive and adding another 17-yard catch in the 26-23 win over the Jaguars. Despite only 37 receptions on the season, the 24-year-old finishes as the Colts' receiving leader with 824 yards and seven touchdowns. With blazing speed, he led the league in average depth of target (aDOT) which helped him rack up the yardage. The former second-round draft pick will likely fill a similar role in 2025 but, unless he can garner additional targets, it's hard to envision outpacing this season's production. Nevertheless, he should be worthy of at least a bench spot in next year's drafts, as he can be a viable (yet volatile) fill-in when the bye weeks hit.
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Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet did not deliver for fantasy managers in Week 18. He ran for 59 yards and gained 32 yards on a lateral from wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Charbonnet was in a great position to succeed as the starter. However, Seattle rotated running back Kenny McIntosh into the lineup consistently. As such, Charbonnet did not have the same volume he has enjoyed in his other starts this season. Charbonnet's future in fantasy is interesting. The Seahawks seem very committed to starting running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle). However, Charbonnet has shown this season that he can carry the load when called upon and Walker has proven himself to be injury prone throughout his career. At the very least, Charbonnet has proven himself to be an excellent complimentary piece to Walker. Charbonnet should have a chance to be a consistent contributor next year. His eight rushing touchdowns were excellent this year. Time will tell what Seattle decides to do with their offense.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught four passes for nine yards in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Rams. Smith-Njigba was invisible in a game in which quarterback Geno Smith threw four touchdown passes. What's worse, JSN had a chance to break wide receiver Tyler Lockett's single-season team receptions record. He fell one reception short of breaking the record. Overall, Smith-Njigba had a great season. He will finish with 1,130 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 100 receptions. Fantasy managers should be ecstatic about Smith-Njigba heading into next season. He is clearly Smith's No. 1 target, and he has displayed that he has the talent to be a high-end producer for fantasy. While his Week 18 was disappointing, the future is bright for JSN.
From RotoBaller
Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty made all four of his field goal attempts against the Seahawks in Week 18 and converted his only extra-point attempt as well. The sixth-round pick from Stanford finished the regular season 29-of-34 on field goal attempts and 32-of-36 on extra-point tries. He made all 13 of his field goal tries over the last four weeks, which should give him a big confidence boost going into the postseason. He also made field goals of 57 and 58 yards to finish the season six-of-seven on kicks from 50+ yards. After an inconsistent season, the rookie finished strong and will look to keep rolling next week as the Rams host a Wild Card game, which means he'll be kicking indoors again as a solid option against the Vikings or Lions.
From RotoBaller
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf caught three passes for 53 yards and a touchdown in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Rams. Metcalf was tied for second on the team in targets with five on Sunday. Metcalf's three receptions were still concerning considering he has not caught more than four passes since Week 11. Metcalf will finish the season eight yards shy of the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career. Metcalf began 2024 on fire, but he did not have the same production after returning from an MCL sprain halfway through the season. With Seattle headed into their offseason after missing the playoffs, they will look to retool their roster. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on Seattle's personnel moves and the evolution of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Hopefully, Metcalf can bounce back for fantasy managers in 2025.
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