Stephen Jones says Mike McCarthy has done an 'outstanding' job amid Cowboys' injuries

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Mike McCarthy’s ability to keep the injury-depleted Dallas Cowboys competitive could factor into whether the team gives him a contract extension.

“I think he’s done outstanding,” executive vice president of personnel Stephen Jones said Wednesday after the NFL’s winter meetings. “I mean, our guys are playing hard and he’s got them competing. That was a tough game the other night, but guys played hard.”

McCarthy, who is in the final year of his contract, led Dallas (5-8) to three straight 12-win seasons, including a pair of NFC East titles, before things unraveled this season.

The Cowboys were 3-5 when Dak Prescott went down for the season. Several defensive players, including star edge rusher Micah Parsons, also have missed multiple games.

“When you’re owning/managing a football team, you look at everything. It would be irresponsible not to,” Jones said about considering the team’s injuries in an evaluation of McCarthy’s job performance. “I know our fans and opponents don’t look at everything but we do.”

Parsons’ return sparked two straight wins, but Dallas lost 27-20 at home to Cincinnati on Monday night after a critical blunder on special teams following a blocked punt.

Overall, the Cowboys have been on the wrong side of four lopsided losses and have lost four one-score games.

“Hats off to Mike,” Jones said. “When you look around the league, sometimes you see a lot of teams that start like that and they’re thinking about next year. And Mike’s got everybody focused on winning each and every game.”

The Cowboys haven’t had playoff success under McCarthy, going 1-3. They were blown out by Green Bay in the wild-card round of the playoffs last season, but owner Jerry Jones made few changes to the roster.

Asked if a decision on McCarthy’s future has been made, Stephen Jones said: “We’re talking about the next game.”

Asked if Bill Belichick was ever a consideration, Jones responded: “We’re worried about the next game.”

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Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. The Cincinnati Bengals won 27-20. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy walks from the field after an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. The Cincinnati Bengals won 27-20. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

VICTORIA, Texas (AP) — A twin-engine propeller plane crashed onto a Texas highway and split in two Wednesday afternoon, scattering debris across the road and sending four people to hospitals, authorities said.

The Piper PA-31 with just the pilot aboard crashed about 3 p.m. near a highway overpass in Victoria, some 150 miles (240 kilometers) southwest of Houston, the Federal Aviation Administration said. A police video statement on Facebook said three vehicles were damaged and images showed the aircraft split at the fuselage with part of the wreckage resting atop a car.

Victoria Police Deputy Chief Eline Moya said three people had non-life threatening injuries, one was transported to an out-of-town hospital for higher level treatment, and the pilot was being evaluated. Moya did not specify if the pilot was among those taken to a hospital.

“This is not something we see every day, but we are glad that people seem to be OK and they’re getting checked out,” Moya said.

The pilot’s name and condition were not immediately released. The FAA said it would investigate the crash.

Tony Poynor said he was approaching an intersection when he started hearing the sound of a small plane engine very close to him.

“To the left of me you start seeing on the wall a shadow of this plane," he said. “Then it passed over the top of my truck. And it’s still horizontal at this point, then about a quarter of a mile in front of me it starts to wobble.”

He said that after the crash, he approached the plane and the pilot was conscious but was unable to get him out.

First responders work the scene after a plane crashed on a highway Wednesday, Dec. 11, in Victoria, Texas. (Tony Poynor via AP)

First responders work the scene after a plane crashed on a highway Wednesday, Dec. 11, in Victoria, Texas. (Tony Poynor via AP)

Caution tape surrounds the scene after a plane crashed on a highway Wednesday, Dec. 11, in Victoria, Texas. (Tony Poynor via AP)