INGLEWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 13: Owner Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys looks on from a suite during the second half against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium on September 13, 2020 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Earlier this week, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy made a big guarantee for Sunday’s divisional game against Washington.
“We’re going to win this game. I’m confident in that,” McCarthy said.
That’s essentially a guarantee, and while McCarthy should believe that his team is going to win, it’s pretty rare to see a comment like that from an NFL head coach.
Jerry Jones is loving it, at least.
“I don’t get hung up on the bit about the guarantee,” Jones said on 103.5 The Fan, via the Dallas Morning News. “That should be his attitude. He expects to win. He thinks we will win. I expect that. I would be shocked if he couldn’t make that kind of statement. Anybody with common sense knows that you can’t tell whether or not you’re going to or not. Only God knows that. Having said that — I’ll tell you what, he’s raring and ready. He’s been penned up and that’s reflected in his demeanor as well as how he articulated his feelings.”
Jones added that the Cowboys should always be confident.
“We, as a franchise, we as the Cowboys, we put it out there,” Jones said. “We know we do. We ask folks to look at us, be interested in us, follow us. We know a bunch of people look at us because they’d like to see us lose. That’s sport. That creates the excitement, the reason I’m in it, and the reason we are engaged. And, so, the answer is yes, I like all of this kind of additional color to the interest in the game. Of course, you really don’t have to color this game. It has everything going for it. There’s much at stake. It’s right here at the right time. This is the fourth quarter that we’re in of the year. Football is at its absolute apex and we’re sitting here basically fighting literally for the marbles, and we need to win this game.”
Did Mike McCarthy say too much? Yes.
Did Mike McCarthy “guarantee” a win? No. Absolutely not.
Confidence is not a guarantee.
What a silly story.— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 10, 2021
NFL fans appreciate Jones’ confidence, too. However, some are skeptical that it was the right move.
“That should definitely be the attitude, but the greats generally don’t broadcast it. They just kick ass and let that do the talking. Having said that, I still expect the Cowboys to beat Washington despite their 4 game win streak,” one fan tweeted.
“Think it, say it to players in the locker room – just don’t announce it to the world lol,” another fan added.
You play to win, after all.
“A great man once said ‘you play to win the game!'” one fan added on Twitter.
Dallas and Washington are set to kick off at 1 p.m. E.T. The game will air on FOX.