Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy won a lot of games with Dak Prescott as his quarterback, as the pairing won the NFC East twice and made the playoffs three times during McCarthy’s five years on the sideline for the team.
After going 7-10 last year following Prescott’s hamstring injury, which ended his season prematurely, McCarthy was fired, but that doesn’t mean he sees his former quarterback in anything but a positive light.
During a Thursday morning appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, McCarthy voiced his confidence in Prescott, calling him an excellent quarterback and praising his leadership abilities.
“I think Dak Prescott is an excellent Quarterback..
He’s one hell of a football player and he’s a true leader” ~ Mike McCarthy #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Mjh6hA62Gl
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 4, 2025
McCarthy’s time in Dallas came to an unceremonious end after posting three consecutive 12-win seasons ahead of last year’s debacle, and there is a lot of pressure on Prescott now to keep the train on the tracks after Jerry Jones decided to trade star pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers.
As the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, Prescott has always been a lightning rod for criticism, though he has consistently put up big numbers and led the team to the playoffs.
That being said, the playoff disappointments have been mounting, and while it might be unfair, he won’t be cut any slack this season, even though Jerry Jones traded their best player a week before the season started.
Prescott got the contract extension he wanted, and it’s his job to lead the team through this mess and back to the postseason.
Kudos to McCarthy for standing behind his former quarterback, and let’s hope he secures a new coaching gig at some point.
