Getty Head coach Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys watches action during a game.
In a new list made by national media members, Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy is being ranked as the worst NFL head coach to win a Super Bowl.
The rankings were published by CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin, but includes the opinions of several of the outlet’s writers. The list covers all 32 NFL head coaches, but it was notable how far down McCarthy’s name was.
The Cowboys head coach was named the No. 18 coach in the NFL, which was the lowest among coaches who have won a Super Bowl. The write-up on McCarthy feels like it starts with an admission of praise but still criticizes his ability as a coach.
“The pendulum has probably swung a little too far in terms of criticizing McCarthy; even if he did have Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, he’s now compiled nine different double-digit-win seasons, including 2021 with Dallas,” the CBS Sports list reads. “He’s also wisely given plenty of control to play-caller Kellen Moore. And yet, with so much talent at his disposal, ill-timed, old-school decisions have too often doomed him. Maybe that’s why team owner Jerry Jones publicly ponders about canning him for his own defensive coordinator.”
McCarthy has been a divisive figure among Cowboys fans since his arrival in January of 2020, but it’s clear that CBS Sports doesn’t view him very highly by his No. 18 ranking.
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Super Bowl Coaches Ranked Above McCarthy
The first Super-Bowl winning head coach ranked above McCarthy is Doug Pederson, who was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. Pederson’s previous stint with the Philadelphia Eagles led to a Lombardi Trophy in the 2017 season.
Pederson is ranked at the No. 11 spot, while the next coach on the list with a ring is Seattle Seahawks HC Pete Carroll. Carroll, who is ranked as the 8th-best NFL head coach, is entering his 13th season in Seattle, and is 1-1 in his Super Bowl appearances.
The top 5 coaches on CBS Sports’ list are all Super Bowl winners, starting with John Harbaugh at No. 5, who is leading the Ravens for a 15th season and has one Super Bowl ring to his name. Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike Tomlin comes in at No. 4 with a 1-1 record in Super Bowls.
New England Patriots HC Bill Belichick is ranked at No. 3 despite having six titles, the most of any NFL head coach in the league’s history. At No. 2, Sean McVay of the Los Angeles Rams is named after winning his first Super Bowl this past February.
At No. 1, Kansas City Chiefs boss Andy Reid leads the list. Interestingly enough, he is the only coach on the list with a losing record in Super Bowls, going 1-2.
Eagles’ Nick Sirianni Ranked Above Cowboys HC
Among the NFC East coaches, McCarthy was not ranked the worst but the Cowboys head coach also wasn’t ranked at the top. The rankings have Washington Commanders HC Ron Rivera and New York Giants HC Brian Daboll below McCarthy at the No. 19 and No. 22 spots respectively.
However, Eagles HC Nick Sirianni was placed at No. 16, two spots above McCarthy. The blurb for the Eagles coach states that his growing relationship with quarterback Jalen Hurts and openness to adapting as his major points.
The logic isn’t false, but it still feels off to rank an NFL coach with one NFL season under his belt and no playoff wins above McCarthy, who is entering his 16th season and has hoisted a Lombardi Trophy.