Cowboys owner Jerry Jones hopped through the tunnel on his way to the locker room after 26/24. Play with a big smile on your face. He hugged coach Mike McCarthy in the locker room.

Jones was positively giddy.

“Mike McCarthy, he just doesn’t let them believe they’re out there playing for the Super Bowl. He won’t allow it. I’m 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.

Still, they won against a team that needed to win to stay at the top of their division.

“There are a lot of things that contributed to us sitting here and not in the playoffs, and you can start with me,” Jones said. “I try to be no different than having a lot of people contribute when you win. Lots of people contribute if you don’t. But, boy, give me that kind of effort, that kind of professionalism. These guys came out and played like they were competing in the championship to get to the Super Bowl. I can’t say how proud I am of her and the coaching staff. It really shows me something.”

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

McCarthy is in the final year of his contract but he seems more likely to return now than he did six weeks or six months ago. However, McCarthy also has a say over his future as he is not under contract until 2025.

Jones said he “can’t say anything” about what will happen when the season ends in two weeks.

McCarthy has a 49-33 regular-season record in five seasons with the Cowboys, but just 1-3 in the postseason.

“Mike is an outstanding coach,” Jones said. “I’m proud that they’ve been rewarded and that the team is playing at this level because he trained them to play at this level, even when you realize that if you’re not in the playoffs you can’t make it is.” to the big one, but he has this team (plays hard). This is as good an emotional performance, a performance performance as I have seen from us. I don’t know what to compare it to.”