Cowboys’ Mike McCarthy dials back OTAs to prevent another charge

FRISCO, Texas — Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy is making certain he will not be fined for a 3rd straight year for excessive contact throughout arranged group activities.

“Our team periods are basically walkthroughs and jogthroughs,” McCarthy stated prior to the Cowboys’ 2nd OTA of the offseason program. “So we won’t have a competitive 11-on-11 drill here probably ever again in the offseason.”

McCarthy was fined in 2021 and 2022 for what the league considered as excessive contact in the offseason practices that are carried out without pads and in theory not expected to have any contact. A quick tussle in between 2 gamers in 2015 caused the examination that triggered the 2nd fine.

A 3rd infraction of the guidelines might result in a group possibly losing a draft choice.

In the current novice minicamp, the on-field work was restricted. When gamers were on the field, they did not have any one on one or group drills and the majority of the practice was carried out with the gamers using helmets.

In Thursday’s OTA, there was a two-minute drill that was done without offending or protective linemen.

“Team drills really are not practical under the guidelines, in my opinion,” McCarthy stated.

Asked if the modification in format was connected to the fines, McCarthy smiled, which drew a laugh from the media.

“I mean I’m glad you find humor in it,” McCarthy broke. “My wife and I don’t think it’s really funny. It’s actually a sore spot with me. I’m on camera [or] I’d tell you exactly how I really feel. Gotta follow the rules.”