The Dallas Cowboys were stuck in a tailspin this season. After finishing with another disappointing record, the team missed the playoffs. The Cowboys looked a lot better earlier this season and were in the driver’s seat for the division. However, it all crumbled around them. 

One of the major reasons they’ve struggled — at least if you ask any Cowboys’ fan — is the mediocrity of their former coach, Jason Garrett. Garrett had coached the Cowboys for a decade but had little in the way of playoff success to show for it.

After a confusing week of meetings, Garrett was let go and it appears Mike McCarthy is Jerry Jones’ choice to replace him. Despite McCarthy’s impressive resume, he might be walking into a job that he’s destined to fail at.

The coaches who have worked for Jerry Jones

The power structure of the Cowboys is unique in that Jones is both the owner and general manager. He’s the face of the team and the one with final “yea or nay” voting power for all team decisions.

It’s hurt his relationship with some of his coaches in the past. Below are all the coaches Jones has employed during his tenure with the Cowboys: 

• Jerry Jones
• Barry Switzer
• Chan Gailey
• Dave Campo
• Bill Parcells
• Wade Phillips
• Jason Garrett

Other than the legendary Tom Landry, who Jones fired upon buying the team, that’s the entire list of coaches in franchise history. Jones’ brash personality has clashed with some in the past — his inability to work with Jimmy Johnson led the fiery Johnson to quit after winning two Super Bowls in a row.

Mike McCarthy better be ready for Jerry Jones

After leaving the Green Bay Packers, Mike McCarthy has been carefully watching the NFL and waiting for his next opportunity. He garnered interest from a few teams but ultimately decided on Dallas.

McCarthy has an impressive career under his belt already, including a Super Bowl win, so he appears to a great choice for the Cowboys. But, was McCarthy wise in picking the Cowboys over a team like the Panthers?

Most NFL coaches crave control over the team. It will be hard to find that in Dallas as long as Jerry Jones is around. The Cowboys are no doubt a talented team, but McCarthy might have bitten off more than he can chew in having to deal with an owner like Jones.

Will Mike McCarthy be successful as the Cowboys head coach?

During his time in Green Bay, McCarthy had to work alongside Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers, while talented, can be notoriously difficult to get along with. In fact, it was the deterioration of this relationship that may have led him out of Green Bay. If McCarthy can take what he learned from his dealings with Rodgers and apply them to Jones, it could prove very useful.

Dallas has as talented a roster as any team in the NFL, so he won’t have to worry about that. If McCarthy wants to be successful on this team he’ll just have to learn to work with or around Jerry Jones. If not, he could be doomed before his coaching career in Dallas even officially starts.