Dallas head coach Mike McCarthy blasts former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, claiming his desire ‘to light the scoreboard up’ hurt the defense and insists the Cowboys ‘have to give up some production’ to be No. 1
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy ripped into former offensive coordinator Kellen Moore following his firing.
Dallas parted ways with Moore in January after four seasons, despite the Cowboys having led the NFL in total offense and scoring offense in 2021.
Head Coach McCarthy hinted that Moore’s desire ‘to light the scoreboard up’ actually hindered the overall team.
Speaking at the NFL Combine, McCarthy appeared to suggest he wanted his team to score less points as he explained the Cowboys had to sacrifice offensive production in order to be the No. 1 team in the league.
‘I’ve been where Kellen has been: Kellen wants to light the scoreboard up,’ McCarthy told reporters.
‘But I want to run the damn ball so I can rest my defense. I don’t desire to be the No. 1 offense in the league.
‘I want to be the No. 1 team in the league with a number of wins and a championship.
‘And if we have to give up some production and take care of the ball better to get that, then that’s what we’ll do.’
Moore, a former Boise State quarterback who spent several seasons as a backup in Detroit and Dallas, has been calling plays for the Cowboys offense since 2019.
Moore had an impressive season in 2022, despite starting quarterback Dak Prescott’s thumb injury, which kept him out for five weeks. Dallas ranked 11th in total offense despite a rash of injuries on that side of the football.
The 34-year-old Moore interviewed for the Carolina Panthers’ head-coaching vacancy, which was ultimately filled by fired Indianapolis Colts coach Frank Reich. He was previously a finalist for the Miami Dolphins’ opening last year, but that job was given to Mike McDaniel.
He was quickly hired by the LA Chargers as their new offensive coordinator following his firing from Dallas, where he takes over a unit that boasts a former Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowler in quarterback Justin Herbert,
Brian Schottenheimer, who served as an offensive consultant for the Cowboys during the 2022 season, was named as Dallas’s new offensive coordinator to replace Moore.
The move could impact Cowboys quarterback Prescott, especially with the potential exits of running backs Tony Pollard, through free agency, and Ezekiel Elliott, who could be a possible salary cap casualty.
However, McCarthy insisted that Prescott was excited for the new challenge.
‘We can all use a new voice,’ McCarthy said. ‘We all can use a sense of motivation. This is a new challenge for [Dak], his words. He’s excited about it.’
