Dallas Cowboys

Following Mike McCarthy's exit from the Dallas Cowboys, star edge rusher Micah Parsons called the situation "devastating" while praising McCarthy's tenure with the team.

"I'm obviously very sad because of the relationships we had with Coach McCarthy and everything he's done for our program," Parsons said on Bleacher Report's The Edge. "Three straight 12-5 seasons, playoff appearances and obviously an unfortunate year due to injuries. ... It is devastating. Coach Mike is a great father, great coach. One of the most winningest coaches. He's always been good to us as a unit, coaches, players. Losing a great coach like Mike hurts."

McCarthy's contract with the Cowboys expired last week and he and the team failed to connect on negotiations, ending his run with the team. Parsons, who was drafted in 2021, has only played under McCarthy.

"It's going to be a very interesting offseason. It's going to be very interesting due to the free agents, coaching," Parsons said. "It's going to be a complete reset. So, it's going to be a very interesting and challenging offseason."

Ultimately, Parsons has faith that Dallas' front office will find a coach fit to lead the Cowboys moving forward.

"But listen, I already know ... I trust my owner, I trust our GM, I trust [vice president of player personnel] Will McClay that we're going to make the right decisions when it comes to coaching," Parsons said.

While the Cowboys are still early in their coaching search, owner Jerry Jones has reportedly already spoken with former Dallas star and current Colorado head coach Deion Sanders.

As for McCarthy, he could be back on the sidelines as early as next season. He interviewed with the Chicago Bears and is expected to meet with the New Orleans Saints next week.

The Dallas Cowboys head coaching opening is sure to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason after the team parted ways with Mike McCarthy earlier this week, and a favorite has already emerged for the position.

DraftKings Sportsbook announced that Colorado head coach and former Cowboys star Deion Sanders is a +100 betting favorite to be the next head coach of the Cowboys.

Sanders, who spent five years of his Hall of Fame playing career in Dallas, told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday that he was contacted by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. While he's intrigued by the position, he said he's still committed to Colorado.

"To hear from Jerry Jones is truly delightful, and it's intriguing," Sanders said. "I love Jerry and believe in Jerry. After you hang up, and process it, and think about it, it's intriguing. But I love Boulder and everything there is about our team, the coaches, our student body and the community."

In his second year with the Buffaloes, Sanders spearheaded a significant turnaround from their 4-8 finish to the 2023 season by leading them to a 9-4 record. Colorado played in a bowl game for the first time since 2020, losing to BYU in the Alamo Bowl. Sanders was also responsible for the development of two of the top prospects in the 2025 NFL draft: his son and quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way phenom Travis Hunter, who won the 2024 Heisman Trophy.

While Sanders appears to be a solid fit for Dallas thanks to his history with the franchise, it would still be a bit of a surprise if the team took such a big swing on someone with just five years of coaching experience at the college level.

If Sanders doesn't land with the Cowboys, DraftKings Sportsbook expects them to pursue an offensive-minded head coach. NFL offensive coordinators Kellen Moore, Kliff Kingsbury, Joe Brady and Ben Johnson have the next-best odds to land in Dallas, respectively. Though a longshot, UNC head coach Bill Belichick rounded out the top six with +650 odds to make the jump back to the NFL to accept the Cowboys' opening.

After parting ways with Mike McCarthy earlier this week, the Dallas Cowboys' search for a new head coach is reportedly beginning to take shape.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Cowboys "have interest in and are expected to interview" former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh for their head coach opening, which would mark their first interview request so far.

According to Todd Archer of ESPN, the team also requested an interview with Leslie Frazier:

Frazier is set to meet with Cowboys on Monday, per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

Frazier spent the past year as an assistant head coach with the Seattle Seahawks after six years as the Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator. He also went 21-32-1 as a head coach of the Minnesota Vikings.

Saleh was fired from his position after the Jets' 2-3 start to the 2024 season, but the team struggled immensely in his absence. New York limped to a 5-12 finish and extended its playoff drought to 14 straight years, the longest streak in any of the four major men's North American sports leagues.

The Jets' nosedive after Saleh's firing appears to bode well for his chances to secure another head coaching job this hiring cycle. The Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Tuesday that they completed an interview with the 45-year-old, and Rapoport reported that he will interview with the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday. ESPN's Nick Wagoner also named him as a candidate to take his old job as defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers.

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt explained that Saleh has a legitimate chance to land the Jacksonville opening and will be considered by other teams with head coaching vacancies.

"This one might feel like it's out of left field, but there's some real buzz about Saleh's chances of securing this job," Rosenblatt wrote. "Saleh might have been helped by Jets owner Woody Johnson's decision to fire him in Week 5, especially because of what happened afterward. The Jets were significantly worse after interim coach Jeff Ulbrich took over, particularly on defense, where Saleh had built the Jets into one of the league's Top-5 defenses in both 2022 and '23."

The Cowboys could use a defensive-minded coach who could help turn around a unit that ranked 28th with 355.2 yards allowed per game and 31st with 27.5 points allowed per game this season. Still, Dallas' search for a new head coach is only just beginning, so Saleh and Frazier could have some competition before being able to convince the team that they are the right person for the job.

Mike McCarthy is out as the Dallas Cowboys head coach, and his decision to walk away reportedly surprised Jerry Jones.

As McCarthy and the Cowboys owner continued discussions about a contract extension, McCarthy decided to walk away. Jones was expecting conversations to continue past Monday, according to NFL Network's Jane Slater.

"It's been my understanding that Jerry has talked to Jason (Witten) in recent weeks and I do believe that he was part of a plan that Jerry initially had when he was going to bring back Mike McCarthy," Slater said (h/t Sports Illustrated's Ryan Phillips. "I think the plan there was to make him an heir apparent of sorts. Mike McCarthy sort of surprised him by deciding he wanted to end these conversations, pursue something else."

The Cowboys opted to let McCarthy coach the 2024 season on the final year of his contract rather than give him an extension before the year started. After the season ended last week, the two sides began negotiating what came next. Ultimately, McCarthy didn't like what Dallas had in mind and decided it was time to move on.

Though Jones was reportedly surprised by McCarthy's move, his statement on McCarthy made the separation seem amicable.

"Over the past week, Mike and I had the opportunity to conduct a joint review of all aspects of the past season, our players and staff, and also spent considerable time discussing the road forward for the team. These discussions were thorough and received an appropriate amount of time and depth to cover," Jones' statement said. "Prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations, though, it became mutually clear that it would be better for each of us to head in a different direction. I thank Mike and wish him, his wife Jessica and their family the best. They have been a wonderful part of our community here."

Now, Dallas is looking for its next coach while McCarthy is searching for his next gig.

For the Cowboys, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has emerged as an early contender for the job, though Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore has also been linked to Dallas.

As for McCarthy, he reportedly has interest from a handful of teams and will interview with the Chicago Bears on Wednesday.

The Dallas Cowboys are in need of a new head coach after the team and Mike McCarthy parted ways this week. And the Cowboys' next move in that coaching search remains a bit of a mystery.

"It sounds like Jerry [Jones] has been on a bit of a solo mission," NFL Network's Jane Slater reported on Tuesday. "He is picking up the phone. He is making calls. It's my understanding that he has not yet called Kellen Moore; he has not yet called Kliff Kingsbury; he has not yet called Steve Sarkisian. ... And then Pete Carroll's another name out there and Jon Gruden. Gruden hasn't gotten a call yet, that's my understanding. Nothing official there."

Slater mentioned two more names in her report. The first was Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, who has been linked to the Cowboys following McCarthy's departure.

"I think the interest from Jerry is absolutely real," she noted. "I guess the question is does Deion want to come [to the Cowboys]? The reason why I ask that is, talking to a lot of people that are close to that program ... is the autonomy that Deion enjoys there, not to mention the staff. He's got a very large staff there, and as one person put to me today, is Jerry going to allow him to bring in all of those [staffers]. McCarthy was asked to reduce his staff, and Jerry is not really high on paying his coaches here."

There is also the matter of Sanders having a buyout in his contract, another hurdle to overcome.

The other name Slater mentioned was former Cowboys tight end Jason Witten, currently a high school coach in Texas. She noted that "it's been my understanding that Jones has talked to Witten in recent weeks, and I do believe that he was part of a plan that Jones initially had when he was going to bring back McCarthy. I think the plan there was to make him an heir apparent of sorts."

With McCarthy out, however, the potential Witten succession plan would appear to be on hold, and it's unclear if Jones would entertain hiring Witten immediately to serve as head coach, given his complete lack of coaching experience at both the college and pro level.

One major downside to dragging out discussions with McCarthy was that the Cowboys lost a window to interview coaches currently employed by NFL teams that are still in the playoffs. Candidates like Detroit's Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, for example, were free to schedule virtual interviews with teams last week during the bye, a chance Dallas missed.

That won't preclude the Cowboys from interviewing candidates from outside the NFL, or coaches and coordinators from teams whose seasons have already concluded. But the Cowboys are behind the proverbial eight ball when it comes to options like Johnson and Glenn, who both interviewed with multiple teams already.

If the Dallas Cowboys want to hire Deion Sanders as their next head coach, it could cost them a pretty penny.

Per NFL Network's Jane Slater, Sanders has a $10 million buyout at Colorado, with that number decreasing after each year of his contract.

Slater also noted that Sanders "potentially" has an extension with Colorado on the table and could use the Cowboys' interest in him as leverage to increase the Buffaloes' offer to him.

"There's been some talk that there has potentially been an extension on the table in front of the regents," Slater said. "So is Deion using this leverage to get paid a little bit more and stay in Colorado? Is this interest from Jerry (Jones) real? I think the interest from Jerry is absolutely real. I guess the question is does Deion want to come here?

On Monday after Dallas and former head coach Mike McCarthy parted ways, Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones had spoken to Sanders and conversations are "expected to continue regarding the possibility of him becoming the next head coach in Dallas."

Slater reported that Jones has handled tracking down coaching candidates on his own, and Sanders was one of the first calls.

"It sounds like Jerry's been on a bit of a solo mission," Slater said. "He's picking up the phone, he's making calls. It's my understanding he has not yet called Kellen Moore, he has not yet called Kliff Kingsbury, he has not yet called (Steve) Sarkisian down at the University of Texas."

If Jones is serious about landing Sanders, he likely won't let a $10 million buyout stand in his way, but ultimately it will come down to whether Sanders is willing to leave Colorado.

He's indicated in the past that it would take a lot to pull him away from the Buffaloes, but if there's an NFL team that can do it, it's probably the Cowboys.

Could former NFL tight end Jason Witten have a future with the Dallas Cowboys in a coaching capacity?

It sounds as though team owner Jerry Jones was contemplating such a plan for the future if Mike McCarthy returned as the head coach next season.

According to Jane Slater of NFL Network, "It's been my understanding that Jones has talked to Witten in recent weeks, and I do believe that he was part of a plan that Jones initially had when he was going to bring back McCarthy. I think the plan there was to make him an heir apparent of sorts. McCarthy sort of surprised him by deciding that he wanted to end these conversations... now we'll see if Witten will still be in play here. I just don't know if that would be in a head coach role, but I do believe [Jones] thinks very strongly about Witten and his future as a coach."

It would not be the first time that Jones groomed a Cowboys player to be a long-term coaching candidate.

The Cowboys hired former backup quarterback Jason Garrett to serve as the offensive coordinator in 2007 after he spent two years as the Miami Dolphins' quarterbacks coach. He was promoted to the dual role of offensive coordinator and assistant head coach in 2008, and midway through the 2010 season was named the team's head coach, replacing Wade Phillips. It was no secret that the Cowboys viewed Garrett as a potential successor—at one point, he was making more money than Phillips.

Then there was another former Cowboys quarterback, Kellen Moore, who the organization installed as the quarterbacks coach in 2019. He was just 28 at the time and was promoted to offensive coordinator one year later. He also survived the coaching change from Garrett to McCarthy in 2020, which often isn't the case for coordinators.

When McCarthy sought to take over play-calling duties ahead of the 2023 season, however, Moore and the Cowboys mutually parted ways. He served as the Los Angeles Chargers' offensive coordinator for one year before taking on the same role with the Philadelphia Eagles this season.

Moore will likely be a candidate for the Dallas vacancy, and would certainly bring more NFL coaching experience to the table than Witten, who has won two state titles at the high school level for Liberty Christian in Argyle, Texas, but has never coached at the college or pro level.

He did have an extremely successful playing career, however, earning 11 Pro Bowl bids and a pair of first-team All-Pro selections. The future Hall of Famer spent 16 of his 17 NFL seasons with the Cowboys and was always a fan favorite in Dallas, so Jones envisioning him as a future coach isn't much of a stretch.

Installing him immediately as the head coach would be a huge gamble, however, at least until he has more experience at the NFL level. If nothing else, Jones could try to get Witten a position on the next head coach's staff.

After the Dallas Cowboys and head coach Mike McCarthy parted ways, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore quickly became a name to watch for the job.

Moore, who is in his first season with the Eagles, got his coaching career started in Dallas as he was the quarterbacks coach in 2018 and the offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022. He also played for Dallas from 2015 to 2017.

While Moore could eventually go through the interview process with the Cowboys, he said that his current focus is the Eagles' playoff run.

"I spent a lot of time there, eight years there, so [I] have plenty of relationships in that place," Moore told reporters on Tuesday. "I love it here. I've had so much fun here. It's been a really fun process, and we're in a really special situation right now, getting the chance to play this Sunday, having a chance to make a run at this thing, and that's really all you worry about. Everything else is what it is, and we'll see where it takes you."

Moore currently has the second-best odds to become the Cowboys' next coach, via DraftKings Sportsbook. In front of him sits Colorado coach Deion Sanders.

It seems likely the Cowboys will pursue Moore, but the young coach could opt to keep his current position as an offensive coordinator rather than take on the responsibilities that come with being a head coach.

He'll have plenty of time to think about that once the season is over, but for now, the Eagles are gearing up for a divisional-round matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

An NFL general manager once told ESPN's Adam Schefter that Deion Sanders would be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.

Schefter retold the story during an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show (2:35 mark).

"October 2023, a GM in the league called me," Schefter began. "He said: 'Get our your pen and paper and write this down. Deion Sanders is going to be the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys.'"

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Sanders has "some interest" in the HC gig and that the Cowboys "have at least some interest, as well."

Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz reported that Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke to Sanders about the job. He also said talks are "expected to continue regarding the possibility of him becoming the next head coach in Dallas." A formal interview hasn't happened, but Schultz said "there is mutual interest."

Schefter relayed remarks from Sanders on the matter. In essence, Sanders confirmed speaking with Jones but reiterated his love for Colorado.

The Cowboys are looking for a new head coach after letting Mike McCarthy's five-year contract expire. Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who starred for Dallas from 1995-1999, is a potentially hot NFL coaching candidate given the work turning around the Jackson State (2020-2022) and Colorado (2023-2024) programs.

He also recently said that the only way he would consider leaving Colorado would be to coach both his sons, quarterback Shedeur Sanders and defensive back Shilo Sanders.

"The only way I would consider [coaching in the NFL] is to coach my sons. Not son. Sons," Sanders said on Good Morning America (h/t Shane Shoemaker of Sporting News). "I love Colorado, I love my Buffaloes, I love everything that we're building, I love everything that we're doing, and I love Boulder, Colorado."

Both of his sons are headed for the NFL. Shedeur Sanders could very well be the No. 1 pick of the NFL draft. He won't be heading to Dallas, which has a long-term quarterback in place with Dak Prescott and isn't in position to select Sanders anyway at No. 12 barring a huge trade-up or an inexplicable fall down the board.

Ultimately, the potential Sanders-Cowboys reunion is something to watch here given the multiple reports, although he's done a tremendous job at Colorado, seems happy there and could very well remain in Boulder too.

Former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that his options are open after his time with the team came to an end this week.

The 68-year-old Zimmer joined Dallas as its defensive coordinator this season under former Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy, whose five-year contract expired on Tuesday. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has already announced that the team will be looking for a new head coach.

Zimmer arrived in Dallas to replace ex-defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who is now the Washington Commanders' head coach.

Zimmer began coaching in the NFL with the Cowboys in 1994, working as a defensive assistant. He was a defensive backs coach from 1995-1999 and then the team's defensive coordinator from 2000-2006.

He served as the Atlanta Falcons' defensive coordinator (2007) and then the Cincinnati Bengals' DC (2008-2013) before becoming the Minnesota Vikings' head coach (2014-2021). Under Zimmer, the Vikings went 72-56-1, making the playoffs three times and winning the NFC North twice. The team's high point was 2017, when Minnesota went 13-3 and reached the NFC Championship Game.

Zimmer returned to his old defensive coordinator post in Dallas in 2024. It was a rough season for the team, which allowed the second-most points in the NFL (468). The Cowboys allowed the fifth-most yards per play. Dallas went 7-10 and missed the playoffs by four games.

Still, Zimmer sports an impressive resume, and he's clearly put his name out there for interested teams. ESPN's Jeff Darlington did previously report that Zimmer is contemplating retirement, but if the right opportunity shows up, he could very well be back calling defensive shots next year.