Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones isn’t new to tough times. Despite a 3-7 record in 2024 and a five-game losing streak, Jones says he’s seen worse.

Injuries have plagued the team, with quarterback Dak Prescott and safety Markquese Bell out for the season and star pass rusher Micah Parsons also sidelined. Yet, even with setbacks, the Cowboys have been playing shockingly poor football.

“We won one game my first year. One. So, have we had rough seasons? Absolutely,” Jones said after the Cowboys’ latest defeat, a 34-10 blowout against the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football, via ESPN. “We’ve had tough years, but this isn’t what we anticipated. The record and the way we’re playing — we didn’t see this coming. But, if you stay in this league long enough, you’ll have seasons like this.”

The Cowboys have tasted glory, with Super Bowl wins in VI, XII, XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX. But their last championship came nearly 30 years ago in 1995. They haven’t reached an NFC Championship since that season, and despite boasting one of the NFL’s most talented rosters, they’ve often fallen short. Two of the last three seasons ended with Wild Card round exits, highlighting their ongoing underperformance.

That trend has worsened recently. Over the past two games, Dallas has been outscored 68-6 — a 34-6 loss to the Eagles in Week 10 followed by a 34-10 defeat to the Texans in Week 11. Both losses came at home, leaving fans questioning the team’s effort. Many believe the Cowboys effectively gave up after Prescott’s injury, with backup quarterback Cooper Rush throwing just 45 yards in his first start.

Looking back at McCarthy’s tenure, it appears the coach has lost control. His hiring was controversial, given his exit from Green Bay after losing the locker room and Aaron Rodgers, which led to his firing in 2018. While his first three seasons in Dallas, with 12-5 records, silenced critics briefly, postseason failures returned doubts.

Now, Dallas isn’t just losing but failing to compete. With McCarthy in the final year of his contract, he’s effectively a lame-duck coach. It’s clear the Cowboys have mentally checked out under him, even as Jones insists otherwise, dismissing claims of the team quitting on their head coach.