6 Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Candidates To Replace Mike McCarthy

Head coach Mike McCarthy and the Dallas Cowboys have parted ways after a five-year run defined by playoff failure.

McCarthy’s contract is set to expire on Tuesday. According to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, among others, McCarthy and the Cowboys’ brass were unable to come to terms on a contract extension. He’s now freely open to negotiate and interview with other teams. The Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints are among those expected to be interested.

McCarthy, 61, posted a 49-35 record in his half-decade run in Big D. Unfortunately, playoff failures did him in. That included losing consecutive postseason games to the rival San Francisco 49ers. All said, the Cowboys were 1-3 in the playoffs under McCarthy.

This past season was a disaster, with Dallas finishing 7-10 and in third place in the NFC East. It had led to previous speculation that McCarthy would be out of a job. That has now come to fruition.

For a Cowboys team that has not made it to the NFC Championship Game since following the 1995 season, attention now turns to finding a replacement.

Owner Jerry Jones put them in a tricky position by waiting to make a decision on McCarthy. They missed out on a chance to interview Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn during Detroit’s bye. Dallas will now have to wait until the Lions’ season comes to a conclusion. Though, they are two expected candidates.

Top Candidates To Become Next Dallas Cowboys Head Coach

We know that Jones is going to go big-game hunting. That’s not even in question. There will be some well-known figures involved in the interview process. That’s for sure. Here is a look at some top potential candidates.

Mike Zimmer

Jones brought in Zimmer to be the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator this season. He replaced Dan Quinn, who left to become the Washington Commanders’ head coach.

Things did not go swimmingly in this regard. Dallas finished 31st in the league in scoring defense at 27.5 points per game. That came after this unit yielded the fifth-fewest points in the NFL back in 2023.

With that said, Jones is all about connections and loyalty. Remember, Zimmer was the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator from 2000-2006. He’ll at least be given an interview.

Ben Johnson

With his Lions set to go up against the Commanders in the NFC Divisional Playoffs, Johnson remains the hottest name on the NFL head coach circuit. That has actually ben the case the past few cycles.

For good reason. The 38-year-old offensive wizard led the No. 1 scoring offense in the NFL during the regular season at 33.2 points per game. He has quarterback Jared Goff playing at an MVP level. The former No. 1 pick threw for 4,629 yards with 37 touchdowns and 12 interceptions during the regular season. With what the Cowboys have invested in Dak Prescott, Johnson is seemingly the logical choice.

Dallas will obviously have competition for Johnson’s services. He’s said to be the primary focus in the Las Vegas Raiders’ head coach search.

Aaron Glenn

Detroit’s defense under Glenn was almost as impressive as Johnson’s offense during the regular season. Despite some major injuries, including one to star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, this unit finished seventh in points allowed.

Glenn has long been considered a head coach in waiting. The former NFL defensive back has now fielded top-10 scoring defenses in three conscutive seasons. That type of consistency should catch the eye of the brass in Big D as the Dallas Cowboys head coach search starts.

Pete Carroll

Each of the Cowboys past two head coaches have been offensive minded. It’s too early to tell whether this is a trend. But Jones and Co. might want to switch things up. What better way to do it than with a defensive minded head coach in Carroll who has won a Super Bowl in this role?

Carroll’s success with the Seattle Seahawks can’t be ignored. He posted a 137-89 record from 2010-2023, leading the team to 10 playoff apperances and two Super Bowl appearances.

It also must be noted that Carroll’s experience on defense dates all the way back to his days as the New York Jets defensive coordinator back in 1990. The only question here is whether Dallas would consider hiring a 73-year-old to be its next head coach.

Bill Belichick

Belichick shockingly took the North Carolina Tar Heels’ head coaching job recently. That came after a brilliant 24-year run with the New England Patriots in which they won six Super Bowl titles.

Considering that Belichick is now at North Carolina, it seems highly unlikely that he’d make a quick switch back to the professional ranks. Though, it must be noted that his contract with the Tar Heels comes with a mere $10 million buyout. Belichick and Jones also have a strong relationship with one another.

“Bill Belichick would have been interested in the Cowboys’ job, and it’s believed that Dallas would have been interested in him, had he known the position would become available,” Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reported recently.

“Belichick and his camp never received any indication during backchannel conversations that the job would open up, which is partly why he ended up at UNC. Belichick has an excellent relationship with the Jones family.”

This is exactly the type of splash hire Jones is looking to make. Given Belichick’s background and his relationship with Jones, I wouldn’t rule this one out.

Deion Sanders

This one just makes too much sense. There has been a lot of talk about this Pro Football Hall of Famer making the jump from Colorado to the NFL. In fact, Sanders has shown interest in at least one opening.

Considered a volatile figure, Sanders turned around a previously downtrodden Colorado program in Boulder. Before that, he led Jackson State into the national spotlight.

There is also something to be said about Sanders’ relationship with Jones. He played with the Cowboys from 1995-1999, the last of their glory days. Jones and Sanders have stayed close since.

“One of his greatest skills, that he really brings to college, is that he almost has no peer as far as being a recruiter,” Jones said back in November, via The Athletic. “But make no mistake about it, he’s one of the top people, young and old, that I’ve been around in the NFL.”

That might throw some cold water on the idea of Sanders heading to Big D. But I know he’ll be given a shot in the interview process. Whether this means Sanders becomes the next Dallas Cowboys head coach remains to be seen.