Mike McCarthy’s time as head of the Dallas Cowboys is officially over.

According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, McCarthy and the Cowboys were unable to agree on the terms of a new contract after his previous five-year deal expired. The former Super Bowl-winning head coach now has the opportunity to explore other options as an NFL head coach.

From 2020 to 2024, McCarthy compiled an overall record of 49-35 with Dallas, which included two division titles, three consecutive 12-win seasons, three straight playoff appearances and one playoff victory. The 18-year veteran head coach had a losing season in his first and last year with the Cowboys, largely due to quarterback Dak Prescott suffering season-ending injuries.

With McCarthy’s departure, Dallas now becomes another head coaching destination for potential candidates. While the team has a wealth of talent on both sides, the presence of owner Jerry Jones could be the deciding factor in the quality of prospect Dallas can acquire.

Where does Dallas go from here?

In fact, there have been reports around the league that McCarthy and the Cowboys were looking to strike a deal to continue their partnership. For some reason, contract negotiations fell through because the NFL’s most prestigious franchise was left without a headman at the start of the offseason.

Two of the hottest names on the head coaching hiring market are Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Johnson has already interviewed for the Chicago Bears and recently landed jobs with the New England Patriots. There were also recent rumors that he was interested in the Las Vegas Raiders.

Glenn has been in charge of the Lions’ defense for the past four seasons and recently put together a masterful performance against the Minnesota Vikings to clinch the NFC North title in Week 18. The former NFL veteran with fourteen years of experience has already conducted virtual interviews with two franchises where he played and/or coached for the New York Jets and New Orleans Saints.

Some top candidates consist of current head coaches who are in the college ranks. Jerry Jones’ relationship with Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders has been documented, but hiring Coach Prime can only be considered if the Cowboys move on from Prescott and sign Deion’s son Shedeur Sanders.

It would be equally impossible for Dallas to convince Bill Belichick to leave the University of North Carolina to take another NFL head coaching job. The eight-time Super Bowl-winning head coach’s contract contains an opt-out clause allowing him to return to the NFL, but it was recently reported that the future Hall of Famer has no intention of ever coaching in the pros again.

The options Dallas could pursue as a head coach are endless. What could limit their option pool could be money and control, as long as owner Jerry Jones exercises control from above.

Where will Coach McCarthy end up?

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Dallas Cowboys declined the Chicago Bears’ request to interview Mike McCarthy for their head coaching position nearly a week ago. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Bears honored their interview request for McCarthy again now that Dallas is no longer in the picture.

Coach McCarthy will have a market for his services, and the Bears and Saints have been reported to be interested. Both franchises need an offensive mind that can bring structure and belief to their talented but directionless organizations.

While the Bears appear to be the easy choice on paper given their cap space, young quarterback and diverse talent on the roster, McCarthy would be playing under an owner and GM who struggled to put it all together. The Saints’ situation is also less than ideal, as they have negative cap space status, are aging and lack quarterback play, but McCarthy has a relationship with the team’s general manager, Mickey Loomis, that dating back to his time as offensive coordinator from 2000-2004.

Both organizations represent McCarthy’s best chance to land another head coaching job, but he will likely be each franchise’s second choice if their preferred candidates go elsewhere. Chicago is keen on Johnson, former Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

As for the Saints, McCarthy will be competing against two other candidates who have more recent ties to the organization: Glenn and Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.