After talks on a brand new deal did not lead to an settlement, Mike McCarthy is about to depart the Cowboys. Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports Dallas and the previous Tremendous Bowl winner will go their separate methods this offseason. A crew announcement has since confirmed the information.
Several signs have pointed throughout the year to McCarthy remaining in Dallas despite the fact he spent the season on an expiring contract. He and owner Jerry Jones communicated with one another as soon as the marketing campaign ended, some extent at which the Bears and Saints emerged as groups which may very well be within the occasion McCarthy turned a free agent. Tuesday evening looms because the expiration date of his present pact, though Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport notes he is free to speak with teams immediately.
A report from final week acknowledged McCarthy and the Cowboys had been set to begin negotiating the phrases of a brand new contract. A window of alternative due to this fact existed for the events to achieve an settlement earlier than tomorrow’s deadline, however that can now not be the case. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported earlier on Monday there had not, the truth is, been substantive talks on a brand new contract up up to now. Now, this newest replace on the scenario confirms Dallas will probably be available in the market for a brand new head coach after McCarthy held the position for 5 seasons.
The primary yr of that tenure produced a 6-10 season, however McCarthy managed to ship sustained regular-season success after that time. The 61-year-old helped lead Dallas to a 12-5 report yearly from 2021-23. This previous marketing campaign, a Cowboys roster which misplaced a number of key gamers within the offseason was hit laborious by accidents. Dallas fell out of playoff rivalry early, though a turnaround late within the yr appeared to assist McCarthy’s inventory.
In fact, the veteran’s tenure in Dallas will greatest be remembered for his playoff outings. Of the 4 postseason video games McCarthy coached with the Cowboys, the crew solely ended up successful one. Jones cited final yr’s dwelling wild-card defeat towards the Packers as a primary cause why he made the choice to retain McCarthy with out providing him an extension. After making it clear no in-season firing would happen (as was the case when his Inexperienced Bay tenure ended), questions had been raised about how negotiations would proceed.
As Pelissero and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones note, one of many primary sticking factors between Jones and McCarthy was the size of a possible new contract. Given the previous’s hesitance to make a brand new dedication final offseason, it will of come as one thing of a shock if a long-term supply has been revamped the weekend. Because the latter prepares to hunt out his market, in the meantime, his assistants are additionally set to change into free brokers.
The Bears requested permission to interview McCarthy final week, when his Dallas future remained unsure. The Cowboys blocked it, a transfer which has now confirmed to be a moot level. Chicago has performed a wide-ranging search with curiosity being proven in NFL and school staffers. Longtime Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll — who’s now joined by McCarthy as a 2025 candidate with a prolonged resume and a Tremendous Bowl title — already interviewed with the Bears. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see if McCarthy does the identical.
It was additionally discovered final week that the Saints could be a team to watch within the occasion McCarthy reached the market. Since that’s now the case, New Orleans will probably be free to arrange an interview. Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is seen as the highest candidate for the job at this level, however lots might change on that entrance over the approaching days and weeks.
Former DC Dan Quinn might have represented a candidate to take over from McCarthy had a change been made final yr. Quinn took the Commanders’ teaching gig, nevertheless, leaving Dallas in want of a special defensive coordinator. Mike Zimmer was introduced in after beforehand main the crew’s protection over a seven-year interval. The previous Vikings head coach has expressed a want to land one other HC gig, and it will likely be attention-grabbing to see if Jones considers selling him to the position. In the meantime, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports Invoice Belichick would have had curiosity in Dallas’ opening had it existed earlier than his choice to take cost of North Carolina. He provides that feeling seemingly would have been mutual, however now the Cowboys might want to transfer in one other path.
McCarthy sports activities an all-time successful share of .608, making him some of the achieved staffers accessible for the 2025 hiring cycle. He’s a considerably late addition to the record of choices for the winter, however with the Patriots representing the one crew to make a head teaching rent to date he might have a number of suitors within the close to future.
