CNN
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“America’s Team” is hiring.

After five seasons, head coach Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys are going their separate ways.

McCarthy was in the final year of his contract and was unable to lead the team to a playoff berth last season, finishing with a 7-10 record and winning just two home games.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he and McCarthy met to discuss “all aspects” of last year, spent “significant time” discussing the team’s future and decided now was the time. to separate.

“These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth,” Jones said in a statement Monday.

“However, before contract negotiations began, it was clear to everyone that it would be better for each of us to take a different path.”

During McCarthy’s tenure, Dallas struggled in the playoffs, losing three times and winning once.

The 61-year-old was in the spotlight immediately after his fourth season abruptly ended a year ago. The inexperienced Green Bay Packers defeated Dallas in a wild card playoff game in front of their home fans.

Days after the loss, Jones stood behind the head coach, saying, “Mike’s career has shown high-level success after the season and we are confident we can move forward.”

Prior to his time at Big D, McCarthy led the Packers as head coach for more than 12 years, leading them to eight straight playoff appearances and a Super Bowl XLV victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011 at AT&T Stadium – home of the Cowboys.

Dallas named McCarthy the franchise’s ninth head coach in January 2020. He posted a 49-35 regular season record, including three straight 12-win seasons.

Dallas joins five other NFL teams seeking a head coach, along with the Chicago Bears, New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders.

The New England Patriots hired Mike Vrabel, their former player and former Tennessee Titans head coach, as their new head coach on Sunday.

This story has been updated with additional information.