Cowboys HC Mike McCarthy will not attend NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis

National Football League

Published Feb. 23, 2024 7:28 p.m. ET

Dallas Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy will not attend next week’s NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, per ESPN.

McCarthy cited workload capacity and time efficiency as the reason for him staying in Dallas, as he and defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer continue to set the staff and changes to the scheme.

“Zim and I will have a full week together here and cover a lot of ground with things we’re working on,” McCarthy said, per ESPN. “At the same time, we can still participate in the combine process and have direct contact through video calls and meetings, while having our coaches on the ground there as well.”

Similarly, outside of meeting with the media in Indianpolis for a few hours, McCarthy was also absent from last year’s scouting combine due to changes he was making to the offensive scheme in his first year as the Cowboys’ playcaller. The adjustments that McCarthy and his offensive coaches made helped Dallas lead the league in scoring in 2023.

Even with McCarthy and Zimmer absent from the combine, they will take part in virtual interview sessions with players, and tapes of the workouts will be available in order to keep them up-to-date on the draft prospects.

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