Regarding a Green Bay reunion replay with his Cowboys during the playoffs, Mike McCarthy is less talkative.

McCarthy can take advantage of the fact that the stakes for another reunion in a wild-card game at the Cowboys’ stadium on Sunday are significantly higher.

McCarthy, who spent more than 12 years coaching in the north and ended the 2010 campaign with a Super Bowl victory on Dallas’ home field, said, “I regretted it.” It is not even necessary for that to enter our energy base. I was honest when answering the questions about my experience up there last year. Simply put, it will not help us win. I am not interested in it, therefore, if it does not help us win a game. I am sorry.

McCarthy was unenthusiastic about the responses but did not entirely reject the questions.

To his point, the Cowboys (12-5) have made three straight playoff appearances under their fourth-year coach, and they currently own the highest seed in the NFC at No. 2. Dallas is favored over Green Bay by 7 1/2 points (9-8)

Since winning its fifth Super Bowl championship to end the 1995 season, the team has not even advanced to the NFC championship game.

McCarthy not only won a championship with the Packers but also made it that far three other times.

“The biggest thing, in my opinion, is playoff time. We discussed it at Monday’s team meeting. It is a time when we should all be selfish,” McCarthy remarked. “Because we have invested a great deal in preparing for this season. We are exactly where we should be.

When Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott was still a rookie in the 2016 season, Aaron Rodgers’ incredible pass to tight end Jared Cook in the closing seconds of the game helped the Packers win 34–31. That was his last playoff victory with the team.

McCarthy, who turned 60 this year, was let go during Green Bay’s second straight losing season, less than two years after that triumph. Under McCarthy, the Packers advanced to the playoffs nine times.

One of the three healthy Packers who played for McCarthy is defensive tackle Kenny Clark. “Hell of a coach, and I am always appreciative of Mike,” Clark said. He is among the guys who introduced me to this place. I am very appreciative of him for giving me a chance.”

McCarthy’s return saw the Cowboys lead by two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but Rodgers rallied Green Bay to win 31–28.

With one month remaining in the regular season, Dallas was well into the postseason picture after suffering just one defeat in a seven-game run. But it stung for McCarthy.

Now he’s doing everything to keep the focus on the players, which doesn’t surprise safety Jayron Kearse. He was a member of the NFC North before, having begun his career in Minnesota and spent a season in Detroit.

Kearse remarked, “I am pretty sure he will not let that get in the way of the things that we need to do.” “It is not Green Bay versus Mike McCarthy. Green Bay vs. Dallas Cowboys is the matchup. It is imperative that the players comprehend this as well. We want to win this tournament for the coach, but let us face it—this is a team that stands in our way.”

In the Dallas-Green Bay playoff series, McCarthy is 2-0. In what ended up being Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo’s final playoff game, the Packers prevailed in 2014.

McCarthy’s choice to contest Dez Bryant’s fourth-down catch on a deep ball that fell just short of the Green Bay goal line was the most crucial play of the game. After the catch was ruled invalid, the Packers won the divisional round 26–21 by scoring four goals in the last four minutes.

“Did Dez catch it?” was the standard question McCarthy faced upon being named the Dallas coach in 2020. Perhaps he was still half a Packers coach at that moment.

Closure came with the trip to Green Bay last season, which makes this replay a little easier.

“Personally, it helps me,” McCarthy said. “I think the biggest thing I got out of going back there was that I got to see a lot of people I didn’t get to see at the end. We would’ve liked to have won the game, and at the end of the day, this is my team. I’m a Dallas Cowboy. This is our opportunity, and I just want to make sure I’m doing my part, and that’s supporting everything in winning this game.”