The Dallas Cowboys are very lucky to have Will McClay in their front office. Though McClay doesn’t have the official GM title, in reality he handles most of the actual duties that has made this team’s drafts and roster competitive for playoff glory. I shudder to think what this organization would look like without him.
Without McClay, the Cowboys were wandering in a draft wilderness exemplified by the pitiful Jerry-centric drafts like 2009- one of the worst drafts in NFL history. McClay is the primary architect of the improved. roster building we’ve seen over the last decade. His steady hand in finding talent through all 3 days of the draft speaks for itself. Jerry re-upped McClay’s contract in Jan, 2022 and we should be grateful for that.
The actual duties of a real GM in the NFL is not what Jerry Jones does. All he wants to do is be in the spotlight, look like he’s in charge and talk, talk, talk. It’s his drug of choice. He does a good job with the business side of things obviously. But being an NFL GM requires discipline, hours in film rooms, oversight and coordination of team scouting, and a work ethic requiring a strong commitment. In other words, nothing Jerry or Stephen actually do.
BUT- I’ll give Jerry some of that much craved credit he lives for- he continues to recognize Will McClay’s talent and pays him well to do it. For that, I tip my cap to Jerry. Because without McClay there’s no good rosters in Dallas. Period.
So remember the next time Travon Diggs makes an interception or Micah Parsons dominates or Tony Pollard makes a huge play that Zack Martin and Terrance Steele made the key block for- Will McClay is the man we can actually thank for that.
Will McClay is the real GM in Dallas.
