Don't miss any of the action with our daily updates: news, notes and more throughout the Cowboys' regular season. Presented by Blockchain.com
Jan. 11
2:13 p.m. - With the news of Mike McCarthy now out as head coach, the focus immediately shifts towards the rest of the coaching staff, as all remaining coaches are also on expiring contracts.
The most notable name of the group is defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who signed a 1-year deal to return to coaching this past offseason. Zimmer is also the only coach on the staff with extensive head coaching experience, having spent eight seasons with the Vikings (2014-21).
Zimmer's defense finished 28th in the NFL in both yards allowed (355.2) and points per game (27.5).
Special teams coordinator John Fassel, who was an interim head coach of the Rams for three games in 2016, and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer are also up for new contracts as well as every other position coach.
11 a.m. - It appears the Cowboys will be in search of a new head coach for the 2025 season and beyond.
With a deadline for exclusive negotiations set to expire on Tuesday afternoon, Mike McCarthy and the ĂŰĚŇTV are expected to part ways after five years together, per multiple reports.
McCarthy joined the team following the divorce from Jason Garrett in 2020 and led the club to three consecutive 12-win seasons before falling to a 7-10 record in 2024, a season decimated by injuries and other adversities.
The Cowboys had previously denied the Chicago Bears' request to speak with McCarthy as they attempted to negotiate the future with him, but he will now be able to speak with any team.
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Jan. 10
9:45 a.m. - Throw another shrimp on the barbie for superstar ĂŰĚŇTV' placekicker Brandon Aubrey.
One of the brightest, if not the brightest, light in an otherwise dark season was Aubrey, the resident All-Pro kicker who accounted for a hefty chunk of the Cowboys' points in 2024.
In doing so, he was successful on 36 field goal attempts this past season, making him the first kicker in NFL history to make at least 35 field goal attempts in his first two seasons as a pro.
Only two others have achieved this feat at any point in their respective career: Stephen Gostkowski and Justin Tucker, the latter being a future Hall of Famer.
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Jan. 8
1 p.m. - Despite a slow start to the season for Mike Zimmer's defensive unit, the 2024 season ended up proving Donovan Wilson to still be one of the most impactful players on the Cowboys' roster.
Wilson made his presence felt time and again this past season, to the point where he nearly etched his name in the franchise's history books.
His sack against the Commanders in the Week 18 finale gave him 4.5 on the season, third-most by a Cowboys' defensive back since 1982, trailing only his own mark of five sacks (2022) and legendary safety Bill Bates. If not for a facemask penalty that negated a second sack against Washington, Wilson would have surpassed Bates and set a new career-high in the category.
Nonetheless, the veteran safety enters 2025 having notched 13 career sacks, the second-most by a defensive back in Cowboys' history.
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Jan. 7
6:20 p.m. - After the Chicago Bears reportedly requested to interview Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy for their head coaching vacancy, multiple reports now say that Dallas rejected the request.
McCarthy is still under contract in Dallas until January 14, meaning that teams will have to request the right to interview him for their respective vacancies until then. That said, this rejection could be an indication of the team's desire to resign McCarthy.
Multiple players including Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons have voiced their support for McCarthy over the course of the last few weeks. McCarthy has amassed a 49-35 record in five seasons with the Cowboys.
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Jan. 6
9:21 p.m. - The Cowboys decided to part ways with Ezekiel Elliott before the final game of the season, with the very reason to give him a chance to latch on with another team for the playoffs.
According to various reports, Elliott is expected to join the Los Angeles Chargers on the practice squad. Zeke would have the chance to be elevated for game day as the Chargers, the No. 5 seed in the AFC, travel to play Houston Saturday in the Wild Card round.
Elliott, who signed with the Cowboys in the offseason in a return trip after spending one year with the Patriots, rushed for career-lows this season with 226 yards and a 3.1 average. He did lead the Cowboys with three rushing touchdowns.
Overall, Zeke ranks third all-time for the Cowboys in rushing yards with 8,488 and rushing touchdowns (71).
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6:21 p.m. - Despite the regular season being over, the Cowboys still have head coach Mike McCarthy under contract and the ability to negotiate a new deal for another week.
But if teams are interested in speaking to McCarthy about being a head coach, they will at least have to ask permission until his contract officially expires on Jan. 14.
According to multiple reports, the Chicago Bears have expressed interest in speaking with McCarthy for an interview for their head coaching vacancy. The Cowboys do not have to grant teams permission to meet with McCarthy for another week.
Owner/GM Jerry Jones praised McCarthy again Sunday for his five years as a head coach, which has seen three 12-5 seasons before a 7-10 record this year.
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Jan. 5
4:31 p.m. – History suggests that starting three quarterbacks in a season is never a good recipe for success.
Trey Lance's start on Sunday, marked the 12th time in Cowboys history to have three or more starting QBs. And for the 10th time, the Cowboys have missed the playoffs.
But the bigger storyline was Lance getting his first, and maybe final show, to show himself with the Cowboys.
Overall, he was solid, as the offense moved the ball, but ultimately didn't score enough in the red zone.
Lance finished 20-of-34 for 244 yards and no touchdowns or interceptions for an 81.0 QB rating. He rushed for 26 yards on six attempts.
He is now 2-3 as a starter as he enters free agency.
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4:50 p.m. – With 2.5 sacks on Sunday, Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons became just the second player in NFL history to have at least 12 sacks in the first four years of their career, joining Hall of Famer Reggie White.
"I told you I was going to get that," Parsons said. "I don't think it was ever in question."
Parsons now has 52.5 sacks in his NFL career, and became the sixth NFL player since 1982 with at least 50 sacks in their first four seasons last week against the Philadelphia Eagles, joining Reggie White, Derrick Thomas, J.J. Watt, DeMarcus Ware and Dwight Freeney.
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4:11 p.m. - KaVontae Turpin, fresh off his second Pro Bowl selection earlier this week, ended up setting a franchise record with a 33.5 yard kickoff return average this season, the second-most by any NFL player since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
Turpin, who had three catches Sunday for 53 yards, also became the third Cowboys player in team history to finish a season with 1,000 combined return yards and 400 receiving yards, joining Kevin Williams and James Dixon.
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3:15 p.m. - His record lasted just one year. But Brandon Aubrey was able to break his own single-season Cowboys record with his 37th made field goal of the regular season. But he wasn't done. Aubrey made four field goals on the day, becoming the fifth kicker in NFL history to make 40 field goals in a season.
Aubrey is now tied for third-most in a season with 40 field goals made.
Sunday marked the 16th game this season in which Aubrey has made at least one field goal. His streak snapped last week in Philly with his only attempt being a 61-yarder that hit the right upright.
Aubrey, who made the Pro Bowl this week for the second straight year, hit 36 field goals. He's the only kicker in NFL history to make over 35 field goals in each of his first two seasons.
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10 a.m. - The. decision has been made at the quarterback position by the ĂŰĚŇTV as they prepare to take the field against the Washington Commanders in the 2024 season finale.
Trey Lance, the former third-overall pick of the San Francisco 49ers that was acquired in 2023 via a fourth-round pick, is expected to start in Week 18.
Cooper Rush will be set as his immediate backup while Will Grier, who was signed to the active roster from the practice squad on Saturday, will be QB3 — with a solid chance of seeing reps as well against Dan Quinn's defense.
It will mark the first start for Lance in a regular season game for the Cowboys, in what might also be his final contest for Dallas with free agency looming in a few weeks.
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Jan. 4
1 p.m. - As Mike McCarthy and the Cowboys work to come to a decision on how they'll handle the quarterback reps in the 2024 finale against the Commanders, they've made at least one move that hints at their plans.
Will Grier has been signed to the active 53-man roster from the practice squad on Saturday afternoon.
This marks the first opportunity Grier will see at playing for the Cowboys this season, having not been elevated from the practice squad at any point prior to now — following his reunion with the team in November.
Additional transactions include cornerback Kemon Hall being moved to injured reserve as Troy Pride is elevated a second time from the practice squad to help replace Hall on the gameday depth chart.
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Jan. 3
3:00 p.m. - Chuma Edoga (toe), Mazi Smith (pelvis), Nick Vigil (foot), and Donovan Wilson (knee) are all questionable for the Cowboys' final game on Sunday against the Washington Commanders.
All four were limited participants in Friday's practice, and head coach Mike McCarthy mentioned in his Friday conference call that both Smith and Micah Parsons (wrist) were able to take reps in practice. Parsons was a full participant and is good to go for Sunday.
Kemon Hall (hamstring) is the lone Cowboy who is was listed as out. The Commanders will be without Marshon Lattimore (hamstring), Jordan Magee (hamstring) and Tyler Owens (ankle). Former Cowboys Tyler Biadasz (ankle) and Cornelius Lucas (groin) are both doubtful.
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12:00 p.m. - Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said on his weekly radio show Friday that Sunday's game against the Commanders wouldn't have much of an impact on the thought process that will go into whether or not Dallas decides to retain Mike McCarthy and his staff.
"The hay is in the barn, really, as far as our staff is concerned…" Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. "I don't think what could happen Sunday could impact what we do going forward."
As the expiration of McCarthy and the staff's contracts loom, Jones said earlier in the week that he is "not under any unusual timeframe at all" in terms of making a decision on the Cowboys future.
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Jan. 2
4:02 p.m. - Micah Parsons (wrist) was added to the Cowboys injury report on Thursday ahead of their final game of the season on Sunday against the Commanders.
Parsons, who missed four games earlier this season with a high ankle sprain, hasn't missed a game since and has been effective in Dallas' pass rush, tallying 8.5 sacks since his return. Following the Cowboys loss to the Eagles, Parsons admitted he took a shot to the ribs from Saquon Barkley, but shrugged off the severity of it.
"Saquon chipped me right in my ribs," Parsons said following the game. "It kind of like shocked me a little bit. It was just a good, not-anticipating rib shot, and it kind of sored me up. But for the most part, I'm good and I'm looking forward to finishing the season strong."
Defensive tackle Mazi Smith (pelvis) was the only other addition to the Cowboys injury report on Thursday. Princeton Fant (calf) and Eric Kendricks (NIR-Rest) were both upgraded to full participants.
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Jan. 1
12:30 p.m. - The Cowboys are ringing in the new year by adding three players to their roster.
The most notable is cornerback Luq Barcoo, having earned All-XFL honors in 2023, being signed to the practice squad. The ongoing experiment with XFL talent is certainly a thing for the Cowboys, and it's resulted in Pro Bowlers KaVontae Turpin and Brandon Aubrey being in Dallas.
Another addition to the practice squad is offensive guard Jack Anderson, who will enjoy a homecoming to North Texas — the two having attended high school in Frisco.
Lastly, the Cowboys signed Earnest Brown IV to the active roster, another homecoming as Brown hails from Aubrey, TX and attended high school in Denton, a defensive end who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Los Angeles Rams previously. Each addition is a youthful one that could turn into futures deals next week.
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