Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy gets real discussing heartbreaking playoff loss to Packers

It's been 194 days since the Dallas Cowboys were eliminated in the NFC Wildcard round by the seven-seed Green Bay Packers in a gut-wrenching game that saw the home team fall 27-0 in the second quarter. But it remains at the center of the team's storyline entering training camp.

The memory has become so painful for the fanbase that the overall feeling of Cowboys Nation following three consecutive 12-win seasons is a stark one. And not only that: The loss overshadowed the regular season success head coach Mike McCarthy accomplished, leading to his contract not being renewed ahead of the 2024 season.

On Friday's press conference, McCarthy opened up about the defeat and how the Cowboys are handling it ahead of the upcoming season.

"There's only one team that doesn't have that feeling in the playoff tournament, there's always a tremendous level of disappointment," McCarthy told reporters . "And then obviously ours was higher in the level of frustration because of the way we played. That's frankly what the offseason is for. It takes a while. And I think I can clearly state that losing that game, for me personally, was not easy."

A former head coach to the Packers, McCarthy admitted he spent some time of the offseason in Green Bay, Wisconsin

"But we're past that," McCarthy added. "Our guys have seen that game over and over and over again (...) We're past that, that's not what we're talking about, it's not where our energy is. The only time I really talk about it it's when I have to."

McCarthy's honest assessment of the situation reveals the Cowboys won't be taking the approach some coaches do with scoreboards hung up on gyms, mottos relating to the loss, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with that as all coaches are different. But it's clear the man leading the 2024 Cowboys doesn't want that hanging over the players all year long.

That's perhaps a show of confidence on what he has on his team. After all, the 2024 Cowboys are a highly talented roster with a lot going for them, despite long-term questions, including the future of Dak Prescott, surrounding the team. It's all about taking that next step in the big game come January and showing up.