There is no overstating the importance of the Cowboys' Week 14 matchup with the Eagles.
A win would put Dallas in position to win the NFC East and potentially even compete for the NFC's No. 1 seed down the stretch. A loss, however, would likely make the No. 5 seed the Cowboys' ceiling. The team needs all hands on deck against its division rival, and it's suddenly unclear whether that will be possible.
The Cowboys are dealing with some unexpected uncertainty regarding coach Mike McCarthy's status for Sunday, as the team announced Wednesday morning that McCarthy was set to undergo surgery for acute appendicitis. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is among three assistants now handling practice and preparation for the game.
Here's what you need to know about McCarthy's status ahead of the Cowboys' "Sunday Night Football" game against the Eagles.
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Mike McCarthy surgery update
The Cowboys said Wednesday that McCarthy experienced abdominal pain in the morning and was diagnosed with acute appendicitis. He's set to undergo surgery in the afternoon and is expected to be released from the hospital the same day.
While emergency surgery sounds like it would put McCarthy's status in doubt for a game that will be played just four days later, that doesn't seem to be the case. The Cowboys said McCarthy "anticipates" coaching on Sunday night.
Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Mike McCarthy experienced abdominal pain this morning that warranted further evaluation and resulted in a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. He is currently slated for surgery this afternoon, expected to be released later today, and anticipates coaching on…
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 6, 2023
Quinn said McCarthy "didn't look good" on Wednesday morning but was confident that the coach would be available for Sunday night. "You think that tough Irishman is gonna miss this game? We certainly expect him to be rocking by gameday," Quinn told reporters.
Cowboys DC Dan Quinn said he saw Mike McCarthy (acute appendicitis) earlier this morning and he just didn’t look good.
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 6, 2023
“You think that tough Irishman is gonna miss this game? We certainly expect him to be rocking by gameday.” pic.twitter.com/089XywPUWz
Quinn said McCarthy has long had a plan in place for a surprise absence, and it will involve Quinn, offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and special teams coordinator John Fassel working together to run practice until McCarthy returns.
Getting McCarthy back up and running by Sunday is especially critical for the Cowboys, as the veteran coach has been the team's offensive play-caller this season. Dallas relies on its offense, leading the league with 32.3 points per game, and all cylinders will need to be firing against Philadelphia on Sunday night.
For the time being, McCarthy's focus will be on recovery while his team prepares for the Eagles.
How old is Mike McCarthy?
McCarthy is 60 years old, recently celebrating the milestone birthday on Nov. 10.
He is the sixth-oldest head coach in the league behind Pete Carroll (72), Bill Belichick (71), Andy Reid (65), Ron Rivera (61), and John Harbaugh (61).
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