Jerry Jones gushes about Mike McCarthy after Cowboys' upset of Bucs

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones skipped through the tunnel on his way to the locker room, a big smile on his face after the 26-24. He put coach Mike McCarthy in a bear hug in the locker room.

Jones was downright giddy.

"Mike McCarthy, he just won't let them not think they're playing for the Super Bowl out there. He won't let them do it. Proud of that. Proud of the coach," Jones said.

The Cowboys were eliminated from playoff contention before kickoff. They didn't talk about it as a team, but they knew it.

Yet, they won anyway against a team that needed to win to stay atop its division.

"There's many things that have gone into us sitting here not in the playoffs, and you can start with me," Jones said. "I'm not trying to be any way other than a lot of people contribute to it when you win. A lot of people contribute to it when you don't. But, boy, give me that kind of effort, that kind of professionalism. Those guys came out and played as if they were fighting in the championship to go to the Super Bowl. I can't tell you how proud of them and the coaching staff I am. It really shows me something."

Jones repeatedly praised McCarthy in his five-minute postgame news conference.

McCarthy is in the final year of his contract, but it now seems more likely he returns than it did six weeks ago or six months ago. McCarthy, though, also has a say in his future since he isn't under contract for 2025.

Jones said he doesn't have "anything I'd share" about what will transpire at the season's end in two weeks.

McCarthy is 49-33 in the regular season in five seasons with the Cowboys but only 1-3 in the postseason.

"Mike's an outstanding coach," Jones said. "I'm proud that they got rewarded, and the team is playing at that level, because he's got them coached up to play at that level, even though you realize that when you're not in those playoffs, you can't get to the big one, but he's got this team [playing hard]. That's as good of an emotional performance, an effort performance that I've seen us have. I don't know what to compare it to."