How much longer will Jerry Jones allow Mike McCarthy to hold back $10b Cowboys?

Someone normally pays the price when the richest sports team in the world is embarrassed again on its home field.

To end the 2023 season, Jerry Jones’ Cowboys — who are valued at $10 billion and worth more than Manchester United — trailed 41-16 in a home playoff game before Dallas played out a meaningless fourth quarter.

Last week, the Cowboys trailed Derek Carr’s Saints 35-13 before halftime had even arrived.

In the end, an 11-year veteran who was benched and released by the Las Vegas Raiders completely outperformed Dak Prescott, who is making an NFL-record $60 million a year.

Not even David Tepper’s Carolina Panthers would fire their head coach after two games.

But how much longer will Jones tolerate Mike McCarthy’s inability to inspire Dallas’ players and fanbase?

How much more are the $10 billion Cowboys — once known as America’s Team but now more of a running joke on ESPN and social media — willing to take?

A Week 3 loss to Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, who badly need a win after a stunning 0-2 start, will only highlight the weekly shadow following McCarthy.

“The Cowboys just lost to a team where you don’t even have a running quarterback,” Phoebe Schecter, a former NFL coach with the Buffalo Bills, exclusively said on talkSPORT’s End Zone show.

“Now you’re going to play the Ravens, who have Lamar Jackson. They’ve got Derrick Henry. They can run all over you.

“The Cowboys, one, they can’t run the ball themselves. And, two,
they can’t stop the run. So now you’re going against a team who, literally, their strengths are your weaknesses.

“I am very concerned for this Cowboys matchup.”

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Thanks to his massive contract, Prescott isn’t going anywhere, despite the fact that he’s 2-5 in the playoffs.

Wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was handed a huge $136 million contract extension before the season, which means that Jones is paying $376 million to two offensive players — and Dallas still must pay big money to edge rusher Micah Parsons.

The 81-year-old Jones ultimately does everything for the Cowboys when it comes to spending cash and managing the salary cap, so he’s not firing himself.

With Jones holding owner, president and general manager roles for a team that annually underperforms in the playoffs, there’s only one move left to make if Dallas disappoints again.

Firing McCarthy, who’s 43-26 since taking over the Cowboys in 2020, yet 1-3 in the playoffs.

“Bill (Belichick) would never work, because Jerry World is on show all the time,” Schecter said. “Sean Payton is always an interesting one.”

Will Gavin, talkSPORT End Zone Host, also cooled any Belichick-saving-the-Cowboys talk.

“There is absolutely zero chance that Bill Belichick takes the Dallas Cowboys job,” Gavin said.

“Because as we saw this offseason when the Atlanta Falcons had real interest in Bill Belichick, it was too much control. They already had a GM in place who they loved.”

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If the home blowouts and playoff failures continue, something will have to give in Dallas.

Jones is paying too much money for Prescott to get torched by Carr.

The top-heavy Cowboys have too many star names to get embarrassed by Green Bay and New Orleans, all while the in-state rival Houston Texans look like the real Super Bowl contenders.

Dallas’ turnaround starts Sunday against the Ravens, if a $10 billion team has enough winning pride.

In February, it will have been 30 years since Jones and his precious Cowboys played in — and won — the Super Bowl.

Anything short of that this season should force Dallas to axe McCarthy and find the right head coach.

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