Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy discusses 'unusual' narratives pushed by owner Jerry Jones

Mike McCarthy admits: It’s a strange narrative. Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones publicly saying defensive coordinator Dan Quinn might one day become his head coach? The perceived confusion about whether McCarthy’s role as head coach was temporarily in limbo and what any insinuations to Quinn might mean for their working relationship? "Are these narratives unusual? Absolutely," McCarthy said Tuesday on The Rich Eisen Show. "I’ve never dealt with anything like this. ... I’ve always, frankly, just (kept) it about winning. I’ve always taken a blind eye or a blind ear to those things, but that’s not the case when you work here." McCarthy completed his second year as Cowboys coach 12-5 and Dallas won the NFC East before losing a wildcard game 23-17 to the San Francisco 49ers. McCarthy previously spent 13 seasons at the helm of the Green Bay Packers, overseeing a Super Bowl as the highlight of his 125-77 tenure. Sean Payton retires as New Orleans Saints head coach? Rumors swirled about Payton returning to his former franchise to coach the Cowboys. Quinn and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore interview for a slew of the league’s nine head-coaching openings this offseason? Jones declined to publicly endorse McCarthy’s job security during that time, even as McCarthy’s contract stretches on. So Tuesday, with the Super Bowl on the backburner and a long NFL offseason ahead, McCarthy addressed the speculation. He said he "definitely" spoke with Jones and Quinn about Quinn’s future. He and Jones "talked about Sean Payton’s narrative also," McCarthy said. The message, per McCarthy: "You and I are in this back-to-back. It’s a partnership. Focus on what we need to do moving forward." McCarthy said he’s "very, very comfortable" with his relationship and dialogue with the media-happy owner and general manager. Source The Rich Eisen Show Jori Epstein USA TODAY