The Dallas Cowboys will not be making a change at coach after all.

The Cowboys announced on Wednesday that Mike McCarthy will return next season.

There had been speculation that McCarthy would lose his job after Sunday's stunning 48-32 wild-card loss to the Green Bay Packers, but he'll return for a fifth season - his final one under his current contract.

"I believe this team is very close and capable of achieving our ultimate goals and the best step forward for us will be with Mike McCarthy as our head coach," Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones said in a statement. "There is great benefit to continuing the team's progress under Mike's leadership as our head coach."

 

Statement from Owner and GM Jerry Jones on retaining HC Mike McCarthy:

— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) January 18, 2024

The Cowboys rolled to their second NFC East crown in the past three years in 2023 by finishing 12-5 for the third year in a row. But this season ended like each of the previous two - with a play-off exit before the NFC conference title game.

With the latest post-season defeat, Dallas became the first team to lose to the No. 7 seed since the 14-team play-offs were implemented in 2020.

In four seasons at the helm in Dallas, McCarthy is 42-25. However, he is just 1-3 in the play-offs.

"Mike has the highest regular season winning percentage of any head coach in Cowboys history and we will dedicate ourselves, in partnership with him, to translating that into reaching our post season goals," Jones said.

Dallas hasn't made the conference title game since the 1995 season when it last won the Super Bowl.

"While we're all disappointed with the result on Sunday and with our play-off record, I am 100 percent supportive of him as our head coach and ability to reach our goals," Jones said.