Cowboys fan poll results: When will they win Super Bowl? Who was best coaching option? (2024)

It does not appear significant changes will be happening for the Dallas Cowboys this offseason. Following an embarrassing wild-card-round exit from the playoffs, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and coach Mike McCarthy believe things are heading in the right direction. They said as much last week after it was announced McCarthy would be returning for his fifth season.

“There is great benefit to continuing the team’s progress under Mike’s leadership as our head coach,” Jones said in a statement Wednesday. “Specifically, there are many layers of success that have occurred this season as a result of Mike’s approach to leading the team, both with individual players and with our team collectively. Mike has the highest regular-season winning percentage of any head coach in Cowboys history, and we will dedicate ourselves, in partnership with him, to translating that into reaching our postseason goals.

“Certainly, Mike’s career has demonstrated postseason success at a high level, and we have great confidence that can continue.”

While speaking with reporters Thursday, McCarthy told fans to buy into what they are building.

“We have an unbelievable fan base, and they should be frustrated,” he said. “We’re extremely disappointed. Disappointed for them. Disappointed in our performance. But my message would be this. We have established a championship program. It’s just not the world championship yet.

“We know how to win. We know how to train to win. We have the right people. But we have not crossed the threshold of winning playoff games. It’s extremely disappointing to be sitting here talking about it. But I know how to win. We will get over that threshold. I have total confidence in that, and that’s why I’m standing here today.”

To gauge how Cowboys fans are feeling, we published a 12-question survey Thursday. The voting ended Sunday morning. We received 1,944 responses. Some did not answer all, but every question received at least 1,908 responses.

Here are the results.

1. Was keeping Mike McCarthy the right decision?

A total of 1,250 voters said it was not the right decision. In McCarthy’s previous three seasons, Dallas won 12 games each year and won the NFC East twice. But they have won only one playoff game, last season in the wild-card round at Tampa Bay. McCarthy is entering the final year of his contract.

2. Who would have been the best head coach for the Cowboys among these options?

With Bill Belichick being available, it was no surprise that the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and three-time NFL coach of the year was a popular choice. But it is somewhat surprising that he finished third in the voting. Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who has not coached in the NFL since 2014, received 500 votes. He is fresh off winning a national championship with the Wolverines. Mike Vrabel, who went 54-45 with two playoff wins in six seasons with the Tennessee Titans, received seven more votes than Belichick.

3. How many games will the Cowboys win next season?

Most Cowboys fans are projecting a regular season that looks similar to the previous three. Nearly 1,500 votes for a 10- to 12-win season, which would likely mean a fourth consecutive year with a playoff appearance. Twenty-four voters predicted less than eight wins. That’s the type of disaster Jones is hoping to avoid by deciding to keep McCarthy and the majority of the team together.

4. How far will the Cowboys go in the playoffs next season?

The majority of voters believe they will not go any further than the divisional round, which makes sense considering they haven’t in the last 28 years. A somewhat surprising 86 voters say the Cowboys will finally make that deep playoff run and win the Super Bowl.

5. Where does your current Cowboys fandom rank?

It was very interesting that the exact number of voters (863) are sticking by the Cowboys no matter what, while another 863 need some time before they’ll start caring again. A total of 20 have never believed more.

6. What grade would you give McCarthy for his four seasons as Cowboys coach?

Despite many fans believing the Cowboys should have moved in a different direction, only 203 of the 1,936 voters gave McCarthy a below-average or failing grade during his time as head coach.

7. What grade would you give Jerry Jones for his last four seasons as GM?

The most surprising result of the entire poll might be that 78 voters gave Jerry Jones an A as general manager. Over half say he deserves a B or C.

8. Are you fine with the Cowboys giving Dak Prescott a new contract that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the game?

Before the wild-card loss, the majority probably would have been on board. Prescott had his best regular season as Cowboys QB. He was in the MVP conversation. But he played one of the worst games of his career against the Green Bay Packers, dropping his playoff record to 2-5. He’s entering the final year of his four-year, $160 million contract. Cincinnati Bengals QB Joe Burrow is atop the market in average annual salary at $55 million per season. Four QBs average over $50 million per season.

9. Are you fine with the Cowboys giving Micah Parsons a new contract that makes him the highest-paid defensive player in the game?

The majority are fine with this idea. Micah Parsons has been one of the NFL’s top defensive players since his rookie season in 2021, finishing runner-up for NFL defensive player of the year the previous two years. San Francisco 49ers edge rusher Nick Bosa is the NFL’s highest-paid defensive player at $34 million per season over five years.

10. Are you fine with the Cowboys giving CeeDee Lamb a new contract that makes him the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver?

Even more Cowboys fans approve of this than the Parsons question. Like Parsons, CeeDee Lamb is still playing under his rookie contract. He has his fifth year remaining at $17.9 million. The highest paid at the position, Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill, has a deal that averages $30 million per season over four years. Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams has a five-year deal that averages $28 million per season. Considering the level that Lamb has improved each of his four seasons in Dallas, that’s the neighborhood of his next contract.

11. Which one gives you the most confidence going forward?

Entering the playoffs, it was probably Prescott. The 30-year-old was playing like one of the top franchise quarterbacks in the league. After the playoffs, clearly the fans don’t have a strong belief in any of the above.

12. How many years before the Cowboys win a Super Bowl?

The results were pretty even across the board. Well, except for those who think it will be next season. Only 82 of the 1,927 who voted believe next year will be the Cowboys’ year.

(Photo: Cooper Neill / Getty Images)