One of the biggest assumptions during the last two months of discourse surrounding the Dallas Cowboys is that Mike McCarthy returning to be the head coach is centered around Jerry Jones’ willingness to bring him back to the fold. The narrative has been that after Jones decided to bring a lame-duck McCarthy back in 2024, it was to prove whether or not he was capable of leading the franchise to postseason success. After a floundering 3-5 start saw the loss of QB Dak Prescott for the season, Dallas fell to 3-7 before getting some momentum after effectively being eliminated from the playoff chase.
At that point, conversation turned towards league rumors the team’s competitive effort (read: the Cowboys remained a draw and conversation piece that made Jones money) could lead to Jones keeping McCarthy around. Only, it’s not solely on Jones. McCarthy’s contract expires on January 14. It’s a two-way street. Even if Jones wants McCarthy back, he can see what else is out there around the NFL where he might get a chance to coach another organization.
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McCarthy is loved by his players, why wouldn’t another organization looking to solidify things want to move in that direction? It’s hard to envision him wanting to sign on to be the coach of the New York Jets for a couple reasons. One, Aaron Rodgers. Two, Woody Johnson might just be the most problematic owner in all of the NFL.
Other jobs that could open up like with the New York Giants or the Cincinnati Bengals are intriguing, but for now, here’s a handful of situations which could make sense for McCarthy to move on to.
5
Indianapolis Colts
A black Indianapolis Colts helmet sits on the turf Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, during a game against the Detroit Lions at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
There is a huge question mark surrounding what will happen not just at the head coaching position with Shane Steichen, but also the GM role in Indy. If Jeff Ballard is out, there’s almost assuredly going to be a head coaching change, and if he stays it could be under the edict of getting a new coach. With Anthony Richardson failing to develop and having some leadership issues, McCarthy would make a strong hire here.
4
Las Vegas Raiders
Dec 26, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; A general view of a Las Vegas Raiders helmet outside of…
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