The ‘soft’ reason why Cowboys legend Michael Irvin doesn’t want Mike McCarthy back

Cowboys Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin has no interest in bringing coach Mike McCarthy back to Big D.

“When I still see a 7-9 record and ‘pretty good December,’ I still say it was too little, too late,” Irvin said on “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd when discussing his former team.

“I just think it’s time to go in another direction. And I hear these late surge to stay with Mike McCarthy. I’m not on that bandwagon. What I believe is this team needs more discipline. I’m not saying Mike McCarthy is not a good coach, Xs and Os coach. But I think the team needs more disicpline,” Irvin said.

Irvin, a close friend of owner Jerry Jones, added that the squad is too soft to return as currently constructed and the proof is in last week’s 41-7 dismantling by the Eagles.

“This kind of game erases December,” Irvin said. “Their backups playing your backups, and they put a 40 burger on you, and you look the way you look … yes, I would [replace McCarthy].”

McCarthy is a good coach, according to Irvin, but he has a different reason for removing him from his post.

“And it’s hard to bring that in when you say, ‘OK, this guy who doesn’t have that firm hand in discipline is now going to either bring someone else in to help him with discipline.’ And that doesn’t work.

“You can’t come in soft and then try to get tough,” Irvin said.

Irvin adds that the Cowboys need to move on since there was no discipline on the team, with the Cowboys being the fourth-most penalized team in the league.

Dallas lost key starters for stretches this season, including starting quarterback Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons, among others.

Jones will ultimately make any decisions on the coaching staff but previously said he was proud of how his team fought through the season after a Week 16 win over the Buccaneers.

That might be a bit of old news, though, as the Cowboys were throttled by Eagles backup quarterback Kenny Pickett and third-stringer Tanner McKee.

Jones was harassed by Eagles fans Sunday as his squad was dominated from start to finish while he watched from his luxury box.

McCarthy’s last game as a Cowboys coach be at home against the Commanders this Sunday.

The Cowboys would not have to fire McCarthy since his contract will expire after this season.