Mike McCarthy 'Revenge'? Packers Firing 'Left a Dent,' Says Emotional Cowboys Coach
For Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, feelings of nostalgia will be in the air on Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Mostly good feelings. But not all.
“The exit, it left a dent, just to be honest, with our family,” McCarthy said.
"The exit'' came after spending 13 years in Wisconsin, a time that yielded a Super Bowl triumph ... and a place where McCarthy met his wife and raised a family.
And now McCarthy, 58, will return to where it all began.
"It’s been four years,'' he said, putting his dismissal in perspective. "We’re so much better because of it. We’ve had time to process it all and it’s a little unique.''
McCarthy remained in town for a year following his firing, he said, because he had undergone knee surgery and wished to stick with his exiting doctors. But that meant he and his family had to endure the abuse that unfortunately sometimes comes with a "former hero.''
"I don't recommend that,'' he said with a smile, also breaking up a bit emotionally when mentioning the Green Bay birth of two of his children and "the people'' of Wisconsin. "But it’s all part of it, and obviously our family has strong ties there. And always will.”
McCarthy’s Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers have had polar opposite seasons. Dallas is riding a wave of momentum with six wins in eight games.
Green Bay is sitting at 3-6, with five straight losses, and this presents a fine chance for the Cowboys to gain a rare win over Aaron Rodgers (7-2 as a starter vs. Dallas) and to put a nail in Green Bay’s playoff hopes. ... and maybe for McCarthy to gain a measure of revenge - regardless of how he is welcomed in Wisconsin.
“Fans clapping? I’d take that,” he said. “Green Bay fans are very nice and we’re expecting them to be nice Sunday afternoon. (But) ... I’m going in there to win.”
Forget the return? Forget the nostalgia? Tough to do. The Cowboys and McCarthy will be on a mission. But despite that, the Dallas head coach wouldn’t be human if he didn’t take a little trip down memory lane on Sunday.
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