Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy shares jubilant embrace with owner Jerry Jones amid contract drama

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When you’re winning, everything feels great as you head back to the locker room after the game. 

But, for Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, every win to finish off the regular season could mean a contract extension. And a warm embrace with owner Jerry Jones has football fans wondering if that’s on the horizon. 

McCarthy and Jones were spotted giving each other a big hug after the Cowboys beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26-24, on "Sunday Night Football."

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Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones answers questions with new head coach Mike McCarthy during a press conference at Ford Center at the Star. (Matthew Emmons-USA Today Sports)

There were big smiles as they embraced, but Jones also seemed to get serious when talking with McCarthy, though the microphones couldn’t pick up what he was saying. From the looks of things, it was one of those good, serious conversations as the Cowboys moved to 7-8 on the year. 

Now, the reality of this season is the Cowboys are eliminated from playoff contention, which isn’t something Jones or anyone in the organization expected to see by the end of Week 17. 

However, McCarthy has rejuvenated what was once a team deflated at 3-7 after losing to the Houston Texans on Nov. 18.

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Dallas has won four of its last five games, doing so without franchise quarterback Dak Prescott, whose hamstring injury against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 3 required surgery to repair, ending his 2024 campaign prematurely. 

Jones has loved what he’s seen from his owner’s box in recent weeks.

"Those guys came out and