Dallas Cowboys

Bill Belichick "could be near the top" of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones' list of desired head coaching candidates, according to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.

"Belichick and Jones have had a good relationship over the decades, and sources last month indicated Belichick had interest in the Dallas job should it come open," Jones wrote.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that Mike McCarthy won't return as the Cowboys' head coach in 2025 after the two sides couldn't reach an agreement on a new contract.

After Belichick's legendary tenure with the New England Patriots came to an end following the 2023 season, he signed a five-year deal to become North Carolina's new head coach on Dec. 11.

Despite his current status with the Tar Heels, a move back to the NFL can still occur.

Jones noted Monday that Belichick has a $10 million buyout if he were to leave North Carolina, which drops to $1 million after June 1.

The 72-year-old's openness to moving on from the Tar Heels will be a factor if he's considered for the Cowboys' job, as Dianna Russini of The Athletic revealed that he has "no plans" to return to the NFL.

Dallas could be patient in its head coaching search even if it isn't able to land Belichick.

Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported that the Cowboys are prohibited from speaking to Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, two of the top available coaching options, until after the end of Detroit's season due to the timing of letting McCarthy leave.

After three consecutive 12-5 seasons, the Cowboys missed the playoffs in 2024 with a 7-10 record. They were hampered by injuries on both sides of the ball and particularly struggled on defense, allowing 355.2 yards and 27.5 points per game.

If Dallas is searching for a defensive-minded coach with plenty of experience, it's easy to see why the team would show interest in Belichick.

The Dallas Cowboys reportedly chose to move on from head coach Mike McCarthy on Monday, but the timing of their decision could come back to bite them.

Per Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, by waiting a week to part ways with McCarthy, the Cowboys will now have to wait until after the Detroit Lions' season ends before they can speak to offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who are two of the top head coaching candidates on the market.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that the Cowboys and McCarthy couldn't agree to terms on the length of a new contract. He will be free to begin negotiating with other teams at midnight. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints are expected to be interested in speaking with him regarding their head coaching openings.

Both Lions coordinators were free to start interviewing with teams virtually during Detroit's bye week in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs. Johnson interviewed with the Bears, Jacksonville Jaguars, New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders. Glenn also spoke with the Bears, Jaguars, Raiders, Saints and the New York Jets.

It wouldn't be a surprise if both Johnson and Glenn secure head coaching positions before the Cowboys get the chance to speak with them. The Lions have been the NFL's model franchise this season, so teams will want to join forces with those who have been responsible for Detroit's success.

The Lions will play the Washington Commanders in the Divisional Round on Saturday. Johnson and Glenn will be trying to help lead Detroit to its first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, and achieving that goal would further boost their chances of landing a top head coaching job this offseason.

After NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Monday that head coach Mike McCarthy isn't returning to the Dallas Cowboys following the expiration of his contract, Cowboys fans couldn't help but dream big about his potential replacement.

Fans took to social media in droves to call for the Cowboys to hire Colorado head coach Deion Sanders as their next head coach:

Sanders spent five years of his Hall of Fame NFL career in Dallas from 1995 to 1999 and earned his second Super Bowl ring in his first season with the franchise. Three of his six career first-team All-Pro selections occurred while he was a member of the Cowboys, as did four of his eight career Pro Bowl selections.

Dallas went 7-10 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2020 in McCarthy's final year as head coach. During the team's struggles throughout the season, there were rumors that Sanders would be a potential replacement for McCarthy, but he shot down that notion and said he intended to remain at Colorado.

"I'm happy where I am, man. I'm good. I got a kickstand down. ... I'm resting. I'm good. I'm happy. I'm excited. I'm enthusiastic about where I am. I love it here, I truly do," Sanders said when asked about the rumors in November.

It appears that Sanders is now open to making the jump to the NFL, as Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Saturday that he has a "very strong interest" in becoming head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. However, The Athletic's Vic Tafur and Tashan Reed followed up with a report that said the Raiders had "zero interest" in hiring Sanders.

Perhaps the Cowboys will be more open to bringing in Sanders following his success with the team during his playing career, as the fans are desperate for some positivity following the team's disappointing 2024 campaign.

Mike McCarthy will not return as the Dallas Cowboys' head coach, ending a five-year tenure with the team.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones thanked McCarthy in a statement, while also saying that the two sides parted ways "prior to reaching the point of contract negotiations":

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network first reported the news.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints will have interest in McCarthy.

The Cowboys went 49-35 from 2020-2024 under McCarthy, making the playoffs each year from 2021-2023 and winning the NFC East in 2021 and 2023. Dallas also won 12 games apiece from 2021-2023, marking the team's most successful three-year regular-season stretch since 1993-1995.

However, playoff success did not follow. McCarthy's teams were notably upset by the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers at home in the NFC Wild Card Round in 2021 and 2023, respectively.

The offense largely went dormant in the 49ers game en route to a 23-17 loss. Dallas was down 23-7 with 12 minutes left before staging a rally that was too little and too late.

Two years later, Dallas was a heavy favorite against the No. 7 seed Packers. But Green Bay crushed the Cowboys, opening up a 27-0 second-quarter lead and a 48-16 fourth-quarter advantage en route to a 48-32 win. The defense wilted against the Packers, allowing quarterback Jordan Love to throw for 13.0 yards per pass and Aaron Jones to rush for 118 yards and three scores.

In between those losses, Dallas did get one playoff win, crushing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-14 in the NFC Wild Card Round in Tom Brady's last game. But the Cowboys followed that up with a 19-12 loss at San Francisco in which the offense struggled yet again.

The 2024 season began with McCarthy entering the final season of a five-year contract signed before the 2020 campaign. It was clear that McCarthy had to prove himself to shed the lame-duck status and earn an extension.

Dallas started 3-2 but then went on a five-game losing streak. Quarterback Dak Prescott suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in Week 9, and the Cowboys defense under first-year defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer bottomed out.

Blowouts were commonplace, including defeats to the New Orleans Saints (44-19), Detroit Lions (47-9), Philadelphia Eagles (34-6 and 41-7) and Houston Texans (34-10).

Dallas stemmed the losing tide, upsetting the second-place Washington Commanders 34-26 to move to 4-7.

Two days after that game, Jones said on 105.3 The Fan that he didn't think an extension for McCarthy was "crazy at all."

"That's not crazy. Listen, Mike McCarthy is an outstanding coach. … This is a Super Bowl-winning coach. Mike McCarthy has been there, done that, he's got great ideas. Bottom line is, there's no place in my body language or anything else that you've seen indications about what we're going to be doing relative to this staff at the end of this year. And we shouldn't. We've got a lot of football left."

McCarthy's Cowboys did finish a respectable 4-3 after the tough 3-7 start, but the team still fell four games short of the playoffs.

After the season finished, McCarthy's status was still up in the air, but news emerged of his contract expiration date of Jan. 14.

The Bears, who were in the market for a head coach after firing Matt Eberflus on Nov. 29, inquired with Dallas about speaking to McCarthy.

However, that permission was denied, per Schefter.

And so Dallas is searching for answers yet again. A Super Bowl appearance remains elusive after three decades and counting. The team, over the years, has had the talent to get there, but the Cowboys have been unable to get over the hump. The hope, of course, is that the next coach can get Dallas there once and for all.

Mike McCarthy's time in Dallas is over.

According to multiple reports, the head coach and the Cowboys weren't able to come to terms with a new deal, making him a free agent on Tuesday at midnight.

Per those reports, two teams to watch are the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.

The Bears are a far more appealing potential destination, with a young quarterback in Caleb Williams and a number of excellent offensive weapons. However, the Bears might be better off seeking a more dynamic, up-and-coming offensive mind such as Ben Johnson as they seek to invigorate their offense.

Meanwhile, the Saints are in cap hell for the foreseeable future and probably are going to have to ride out Derek Carr's contract through the 2026 season. Some of Dak Prescott's best statistical seasons came with McCarthy, so the hope would be that he could get the most out of Carr in such a pairing. From a talent and roster perspective, however, going from Dallas to New Orleans would be a significant downgrade for McCarthy.

As for the Cowboys, if there was mutual interest in a reunion, what gave both sides pause?

Albert Breer of SI.com noted before Monday's news that "I do feel like [McCarthy's] a bit annoyed that it's gotten to this point. As he should be."

So there was that. It may have also come down to how many years team owner Jerry Jones was willing to commit to McCarthy. Before it became clear that McCarthy and Dallas were parting ways, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported "some in league circles think Jones will push for something as short as a one-year deal, or possibly a multi-year contract with only one or two years guaranteed."

It's easy to imagine why McCarthy—who already spent the 2024 season as a lame-duck coach on the final year of his contract—wouldn't have been interested in such a lack of security.

The divorce isn't necessarily bad news for Dallas. In five years with the Cowboys, McCarthy posted a 49-35 record with three playoff appearances, but his postseason record was just 1-3.

Not only have the Cowboys failed to win a championship since the 1995 season, but they haven't even gotten past the divisional round of the playoffs during that time. The Jones ownership era has never replicated the success of the Jimmy Johnson-built juggernaut from the early '90s.

There remain major doubts whether the combination of McCarthy and Prescott could have helped the Cowboys turn the corner, making it a surprise that the organization didn't decide to move on from him sooner. In usual Cowboys fashion, they spent time dragging out a decision that deserved a bit more decisiveness.

For all of the criticism he received during his first five years with the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Mike McCarthy might've been a bit of a bargain.

ESPN's Todd Archer reported McCarthy's contract averaged $8 million a year.

Whereas every fan knows what NFL players earn, there isn't as much transparency with coach salaries. Based on the available data, $8 million would put McCarthy in the middle of the pack.

Sportico's Kurt Badenhausen reported in October that at least 10 head coaches were getting $9 million or more annually. The Los Angeles Chargers are paying Jim Harbaugh twice as much ($16 million) as the Cowboys did with McCarthy, and even Seattle Seahawks first-year head coach Mike Macdonald managed to land a deal worth $9 million a year, per Badenhausen.

Archer questioned whether McCarthy would be able to get a raise on his next contract, be it with the Cowboys or another team, after Dallas' 7-10 finish. But this is a coach with a .608 career winning percentage and a Super Bowl title on his résumé.

When Sean Payton is collecting $18 million annually from the Denver Broncos, then McCarthy and his agent could reasonably demand a contract averaging somewhere in the eight figures.

And Macdonald's salary from the Seahawks points to how the Cowboys may not ultimately save much money if they choose to move on from McCarthy. Hiring a highly rated assistant coach or somebody with NFL head coaching experience is bound to be expensive.

Archer noted team owner Jerry Jones has spoken in favor of incentive-based contracts for his coaches. The Cowboys insider explained Jones might be "looking for a way to reset the coach's market with the structure of the deal" for his next coach.

That kind of negotiating approach risks turning off some candidates, though, since they might get more guaranteed money elsewhere. Failing to seal the deal with a top target would further anger a fanbase that's already frustrated by seeing some recent former assistants excel after leaving Dallas.

Jones already has to push back against the idea the organization doesn't spend enough money on the roster. The general perception about his frugality will only grow if it looks like he's lowballing McCarthy or prospective replacements.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty played high school football in the Dallas area, and he wants to do the same at the next level.

"I would love to play for the Cowboys, it would be like a dream come true," Jeanty told Pat Doney of NBC Dallas-Fort Worth on Saturday.

He also pointed out "Dallas, they've always had a good running back. And when they have a good running back, they play a lot better."

The Cowboys have the No. 12 pick in the 2025 NFL draft, so they may have the opportunity to select the Heisman Trophy finalist if they want him.

B/R's NFL Scouting Department projected Jeanty to last to No. 22 overall in its latest mock draft with the Pittsburgh Steelers choosing him. He was the first running back taken in the mock draft, which comes as no surprise given his overall production.

B/R's scouts ranked him as the top running back and seventh-best overall player in its latest big board of prospects.

Yet it also projected the Cowboys to take Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka with the 12th pick to give Dak Prescott another target alongside CeeDee Lamb. There is also something to be said about wide receivers being more valuable than running backs in today's NFL, although Jeanty could also open up more space for Lamb by drawing additional defenders into the box.

All the Boise State star did this past season was run for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading the Broncos a first-round bye and the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff.

It was one of the best individual seasons in college football history for a running back, as he threatened Barry Sanders' record of 2,628 yards and 37 rushing touchdowns from the 1988 campaign.

Whenever a running back is mentioned alongside Sanders, it is sure to turn heads.

And the Cowboys have a rich history of running backs with players such as Emmitt Smith, Tony Dorsett, Ezekiel Elliott and DeMarco Murray, among others, dominating for stretches. Rico Dowdle was solid this season on his way to 1,079 rushing yards, but he also wasn't unstoppable like some of the Dallas greats.

Perhaps Jeanty can be that next Dallas great if the team drafts him.

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy and team owner Jerry Jones haven't had "substantial discussions" about McCarthy's contract recently, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter reported Saturday on NFL Countdown that it's "in question" whether McCarthy and the Cowboys strike a bargain on a new deal given their lack of communication:

The report is a little surprising because Jones has spoken highly of McCarthy's work throughout the 2024 NFL season, despite Dallas eventually going 7-10 and missing the playoffs.

"Well, I feel good about Mike McCarthy, and the main thing is that I like that job that he's done," Jones said Dec. 31 during one of his regular appearances on 105.3 The Fan (via ESPN's Todd Archer). "It's unfortunate we're having the year we had, but I feel good about Mike."

On Friday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero also reported that Jones and McCarthy "remain open to moving forward together" and that conversations over a new contract were expected to begin soon.

The Cowboys are working against a ticking clock.

McCarthy's deal expires Tuesday, at which point he'll become a free agent. He's already the subject of outside interest, with Dallas reportedly denying the Chicago Bears' request to interview him. Starting early next week, the the Super Bowl XLV champion won't have any restrictions in pursing available coaching vacancies.

Given that firm expiration date, things should move pretty quickly between McCarthy and the Cowboys. It helps that he has been there for five years. He and Jones will be going into the formal negotiations with eyes wide open.

At the very least, fans should know by Tuesday whether McCarthy will be back in Dallas for a sixth season.

Even though the Dallas Cowboys don't technically have a vacancy at head coach yet, the job is viewed as the best available among the teams with an opening this offseason.

In a survey of five assistant coaches around the NFL conducted by The Athletic's Jeff Howe asking them to name the most attractive opening at head coach, the Cowboys received the most support with four first-place votes and one fourth-place vote.

"The roster built to win now," one former head coach said about the appeal of the Dallas job.

It was a close race for second with the Jacksonville Jaguars finishing with 27 points, slightly ahead of the New England Patriots (26) and Chicago Bears (22).

There's still uncertainty about what Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is going to do about the position. Mike McCarthy's contract expires on Tuesday, but NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted the two sides remain open to a new deal and were expected to open talks on Friday.

The Chicago Bears tried to secure an interview with McCarthy for their head-coaching vacancy, but the Cowboys denied their request.

One thing that does stand out about these voting results, albeit from a small sample size of voters, is Jones' authority as both owner and general manager in Dallas doesn't appear to be an obstacle for interested candidates.

The Jaguars finishing ahead of the Patriots is somewhat surprising because Trent Baalke is still the general manager, but the ranking seems to speak of how much belief there remains in Trevor Lawrence.

"Good landing spot," one executive told Howe of the Jacksonville job. "(Lawrence's) contract is definitely not ideal, but you have something to work with. While the QB hasn't met expectations, there is still upside, but it's definitely lower than what we all thought coming out (of the 2021 NFL Draft). This job vs. a job with no QB in place is a no-brainer."

Even though the Patriots seem to have the ideal starting point with an extremely talented quarterback in Drake Maye on a rookie deal, there has been some instability in the franchise in the post-Tom Brady era.

New England will go into next season with its third head coach in three years. The decision to fire Jerod Mayo one year after it was revealed he was set up as the coach-in-waiting following Bill Belichick, while justifiable based on his performance, doesn't make anyone with the organization look good.

The bottom of the poll features a tie between the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets with eight points each. The Raiders could be improving their standing across the league thanks to the presence of Brady as part of the ownership group.

Per The Athletic's Dianna Russini, Brady is giving the Raiders an edge as far as being attractive to candidates who might otherwise have passed on the job.

There's still no evidence that Brady is actually going to be good at helping to assemble a roster and hire a coach and general manager, so the Raiders' standing across the NFL has the most potential upside going forward if he proves to be effective in the role.

It's difficult to find new things to say about how dysfunctional the Jets have been given all of the stories that have come out over the past year. The peak moment came last month in a detailed story by Russini, Zack Rosenblatt and Michael Silver about all of the ways in which no one seems to have any idea what's going on or who is in charge.

The Jets have some good talent on the roster, highlighted by Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson, but the hierarchy of power within the organization would seem to make it hard for a coach to trust they will be able to succeed.