Editing Mike McCarthy (section)

==== 2020 ====
McCarthy interviewed for the vacant head coach position to replace [[Jason Garrett]], which took place over 12 hours, with Cowboys owner [[Jerry Jones]], executive vice president Stephen Jones, and chief sales and marketing officer Jerry Jones Jr. The other person to interview for the position was [[Marvin Lewis]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marvin Lewis fine with interview process for Cowboys job | url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/28446280/marvin-lewis-fine-interview-process-cowboys-job |publisher=ESPN |date=January 8, 2020 |access-date=February 2, 2025}}</ref>

On January 7, 2020, McCarthy was announced as the Cowboys' new head coach.<ref>{{Cite web |title=McCarthy Won The Job In 12-Hour Interview |url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mccarthy-won-the-job-in-12-hour-interview |access-date=June 25, 2021 |website=www.dallascowboys.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Phillips |first=Rob |date=January 7, 2020 |title=Mike McCarthy Officially Hired As Head Coach |url=https://www.dallascowboys.com/news/mike-mccarthy-officially-hired-as-head-coach |access-date=January 7, 2020 |website=dallascowboys.com}}</ref><ref name="USA">{{Cite news |last=Middlehurst-Schwartz |first=Michael |date=January 6, 2020 |title=Dallas Cowboys agree to hire Mike McCarthy as new coach |work=USA Today |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2020/01/06/dallas-cowboys-hire-mike-mccarthy-coach-jason-garrett-replacement/2823446001/ |access-date=January 6, 2020}}</ref><ref name=":10" /> McCarthy, who spent his season off watching game film and learning about analytics with fellow coaches, told Jones during the interview that he watched every play of the 2019 season. During his introductory press conference to announce his hiring, McCarthy said: “I need to confess: I told Jerry I watched every play of the 2019 season. I wanted the job. You do what you gotta do, right?”<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Epstein |first=Jori |title='I wanted the job': Mike McCarthy confesses he fibbed in Dallas Cowboys interview with Jerry Jones |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2020/01/08/dallas-cowboys-mike-mccarthy-fibbed-interview-jerry-jones/2852156001/ |access-date=February 6, 2021 |work=USA Today}}</ref>

McCarthy was the Cowboys' ninth head coach since the organization was founded in 1960. On September 13, 2020, McCarthy lost his Cowboys head coaching debut against the [[2020 Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]] on the road by a score of 20–17.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Epstein |first=Jori |date=September 13, 2020 |title=Cowboys stumble in Mike McCarthy's debut, fall to Rams in SoFi Stadium opener |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/cowboys/2020/09/13/dallas-cowboys-los-angeles-rams-score/5789828002/ |access-date=January 5, 2021 |website=www.usatoday.com}}</ref> In the next game, McCarthy received his first win as the Cowboys' head coach in a narrow 40–39 comeback victory over the [[2020 Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archer |first=Todd |date=September 20, 2020 |title=Mike McCarthy's first win with Dallas Cowboys a comeback for the ages |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/29931601/mike-mccarthy-first-win-dallas-cowboys-comeback-ages |access-date=January 5, 2021 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>

McCarthy was challenged by the heavy restrictions imposed in the league due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in terms of physical contact with the players, their availability due to a positive test for the virus or having been exposed to someone who had it, a reduced [[training camp (NFL)|training camp]] schedule and the cancellation of the preseason games, which complicated the implementation of the new offensive and defensive schemes. Aggravating the situation was the poor showing of most of the team's free agent signings.

The Cowboys finished the season with a 6–10 record, placing third in the NFC East.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2020 Dallas Cowboys Statistics & Players |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/dal/2020.htm |access-date=June 25, 2021 |website=[[Pro Football Reference]]}}</ref> After losing starting quarterback [[Dak Prescott]] to a dislocated ankle in a Week 5 37–34 victory over the [[2020 New York Giants season|New York Giants]], the Cowboys still remained in playoff contention in a weak division and with [[Andy Dalton]] as the starter at quarterback for most of the season. However, the team struggled defensively, allowing 473 points, which was the Cowboys' worst-ever defensive showing.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Whitt |first=Richie |title=McCarthy's Cowboys Season In Review: Top (Bottom?) 10 Lowlights |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/cowboys/news/mccarthy-dallas-cowboys-2020-nfl-season-in-review-top-bottom-10-lowlights |access-date=June 25, 2021 |work=FanNation Dallas Cowboys News, Analysis and More |date=January 5, 2021}}</ref> After the season, the Cowboys fired defensive coordinator [[Mike Nolan]] and defensive line coach [[Jim Tomsula]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Archer |first=Todd |date=January 8, 2021 |title=Dallas Cowboys fire defensive coordinator Mike Nolan |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/30675381/dallas-cowboys-fire-defensive-coordinator-mike-nolan-source-says |access-date=June 25, 2021 |website=ESPN.com}}</ref>