Parsons: It hurts to lose a great coach like McCarthy

Dallas Cowboys pass-rusher Micah Parsons was devastated to hear that the franchise would not be retaining head coach Mike McCarthy.

"(I'm) obviously very sad because of the relationships we had with coach McCarthy and everything he's done for our program," Parsons said Tuesday on "The Edge" podcast. "Three straight 12-5 seasons, playoff appearances, and obviously an unfortunate year due to injuries and things like that. It is devastating.

"Coach Mike is a great father, great coach. One of the most winningest coaches. He's always been good to us as a unit, coaches, players. So, you know, losing a great coach like Mike hurts."

Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott also said he was "bummed" when he heard the news, according to Clarence Hill of All DLLS.

After five seasons with McCarthy on the sideline, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones announced Monday that it "became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction."

The Cowboys elected to have McCarthy coach out the final season of his contract in 2024 and could not come to an agreement ahead of Jan. 14 when his exclusive negotiating window with the franchise expired. McCarthy went 7-10 his final year, though Dallas was plagued by injuries.

Since parting ways with McCarthy, the Cowboys have been in contact with Pro Football Hall of Famer and current Colorado coach Deion Sanders. While Sanders called the discussions "intriguing," he noted he loves coaching in Colorado. Dallas is also interested in former New York Jets boss Robert Saleh, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.