NFL great Howie Long understands why Cowboys stuck with Mike McCarthy over Bill Belichick, but 'this is it'

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Mourning among Dallas Cowboys fans continued beyond the team's playoff loss Sunday when it was revealed the team is keeping Mike McCarthy as its head coach.

McCarthy went 12-5 in each of the last three seasons, but the Cowboys have just one playoff win in that span, and their NFC championship game drought continues.

While many Cowboys fans were disappointed about McCarthy's return, one football Hall of Famer understands owner Jerry Jones' controversial decision.

Howie Long gave Jones the benefit of the doubt with his decision during the current coaching carousel.

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Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys during the second quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium Dec. 17, 2023, in Orchard Park, N.Y.  (Rich Barnes/Getty Images)

"Mike has won a lot of games over there the last few years. He’s cultivated a really strong relationship with Dak Prescott," Long said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "For whatever reason, when they get to the playoffs, they falter. That’s what’s unique about our game. Mike made the point, they picked the wrong time to have a bad day. 

"Unlike baseball or hockey or basketball, where it’s best-of-three, best-of-five, best-of-seven, it’s one game. And if you’re off one day, you’re out, you’re done. It’s over sudden. I think there’s always kind of an inclination to rush to judgment, and I think Jerry did a good job of kind of hanging in there and saying, ‘Do I want to be in a market where seven or eight other teams are going to be looking for head coaches, offensive coordinators?’ That probably factored into Jerry’s decision."

But