The Dallas Cowboys had one of the most disappointing seasons in the NFL. After some all-in push, they failed to make the NFL playoffs this year. One of the big questions in the aftermath of the season is “Who Will be the head coach for next season?

Dallas then took off, recording three consecutive 12-5 seasons under McCarthy and advancing to the postseason in three straight years for the first time since the franchise’s Super Bowl run in the 1990s. The Cowboys won the NFC East twice in his tenure.

A less-charitable one, considering Dallas’ breadth of data on McCarthy’s performance and this season effectively being over since October, is this being the latest clumsy attempt at a football telenovela, with the plot twist—surprise, Mike is gone after all!—timed to drop the morning after two of Dallas’ NFC East rivals each won playoff games.