Who will replace Mike McCarthy in Dallas?

Mike McCarthy’s time with the Dallas Cowboys is coming to an end.

The 61-year-old coach’s contract with the team expires on Tuesday. The two parties were unable to agree on the terms of a new deal, so both are expected to seek a fresh start after a five-year partnership.

McCarthy compiled a 49-35 record during his five seasons with the Cowboys, including three consecutive 12-5 seasons in the middle three years of his tenure. Dallas made it to the playoffs in those three seasons, but only went 1-3.

The Cowboys posted a 7-10 record in McCarthy’s final season, marred by injuries to star players Dak Prescott and Micah Parsons. The veteran coach will now look to lead his third NFL team as he aims for a second Super Bowl ring.

In the meantime, Jerry Jones and the Cowboys will go back to the drawing board in their search for a new coach. Who could be Dallas’ top candidates? Here’s a breakdown of some of the main options available.

NFL STATISTICS CENTER: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

Cowboys coaching candidates: 8 Mike McCarthy replacement

If the Cowboys are looking for a familiar face to replace McCarthy, they could turn to Moore. He spent eight years as a player and coach in Dallas, including four seasons as the team’s offensive coordinator. He regularly helped the team rank among the NFL’s best offenses, including when Dallas led the NFL in both points and yards per game during the 2021 NFL season. That should allow Moore to quickly find and implement a plan to get the most out of Dallas’ playmakers, given his familiarity with players like CeeDee Lamb.

Moore also performed well as a coordinator in 2024, his first season with the Eagles. Philadelphia finished the season sixth in offensive EPA per game (0.1) and fourth in EPA per run play (0.09). Under his leadership, Saquon Barkley finished as a 2,000-yard rusher, so Jones could see Moore getting big out of CeeDee Lamb, Rico Dowdle and others in 2025 and beyond.

Kingsbury is another NFC East offensive coordinator the Cowboys could poach. The former Arizona Cardinals head coach guided Jayden Daniels to an elite rookie season and helped Washington become the No. 4 offense in the EPA in 2024. This included a league-best 0.12 EPA on running plays.

The idea of putting Kingsbury and Prescott together in a vertical offense centered around Lamb, KaVontae Turpin and Jake Ferguson should intrigue the Cowboys. While Kingsbury had a mediocre record as the Cardinals’ head coach (28-37-1), he might be better prepared to run the show for a second time.

The only question with Kingsbury is whether he would be willing to leave the Commanders just a year after leading them to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. He might also be more interested in coaching the Chicago Bears given the veteran coach’s relationship with Caleb Williams.

OPINION:The Bears coaching job may seem attractive. History tells a different story.

Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator

Brady could be the best option if the Cowboys want to make a Sean McVay-like hit on the head coach. The 35-year-old took over Buffalo’s offense midway through the 2023 NFL season and turned it into one of the NFL’s most efficient and explosive units. The Bills finished the 2024 season second in the league in EPA per game (0.18), while Josh Allen recorded 41 total touchdowns in an MVP season.

Brady’s work with the Bills is not an isolated incident. He also helped coordinate arguably the best offense in college football history – the 2019 Joe Burrow-assisted LSU Tigers. Brady could help take the 31-year-old Prescott to the next level in the second half of his NFL career.

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator

Johnson would also represent a McVay-like swing for the Cowboys. The 38-year-old has become one of the most respected offensive minds in the NFL since taking over as the Lions’ offensive coordinator. He has led Detroit to a top-five offense in yards and points per game in each of his first three seasons in that role, while also turning Jared Goff into a Pro Bowl-caliber talent.

Johnson would certainly get the most out of the weapons of Prescott, Lamb and the rest of the Cowboys. However, he has been selective in considering potential positions over the last few offseasons, so it’s not clear whether he would be interested in a move to Dallas, where Jones calls the shots.

Here’s another up-and-coming offensive lineman the Cowboys should consider. Coen built on Baker Mayfield’s breakout 2023 season with Dave Canales, helping guide the quarterback to a 4,500-yard, 41-touchdown season in which he completed 71.4% of his passes.

Coming from Sean McVay’s coaching stable – he spent four years with the Los Angeles Rams, from 2018-20 and 2022 – Coen is well-versed in McVay’s offense, which is full of pre-snap moves aimed at getting the quarterback on Luring the ball will compromise defensive coverage and cause mismatches. McVay’s offense has proven to be easy to implement across all NFL teams, which should make Coen a sought-after coaching candidate.

Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator

Could the Cowboys be targeting a defensive-minded head coach to replace Mike McCarthy? Sure, and Flores is probably the best option on the market. In his two seasons with the Vikings, Flores has transformed Minnesota’s defense from one of the league’s worst to a unit that ranked third in Defensive EPA (-0.09) during the 2024 season.

The Cowboys’ defense took a big step back after Dan Quinn left and Micah Parsons was sidelined midway through the season. Giving Flores, whose unique defensive scheme – based on pushing the line of scrimmage and blitzing frequently – proven effective with the Vikings – access to a player like Parsons could take Dallas’ defense to the next level and make them an all-rounder once again a threat.

Like Coen, Flores’ plan translated well between his previous teams, including the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins. His 24-25 record with the Dolphins, who had arguably the NFL’s worst roster in his first season, is impressive to boot, so don’t sleep on the 43-year-old as a possible replacement for McCarthy.

Here’s another coach with a defensive background the Cowboys could consider. Carroll wants to return to coaching and has a wealth of experience that could prove valuable in moving on from McCarthy, a popular coach.

Carroll has a 170-120-1 record as a head coach and led the Seahawks to a stunning 43-8 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 48. His connection to Quinn could earn him a look from Jones and the Dallas brain trust.

Carroll will turn 74 on the eve of the NFL season, so he wouldn’t be a spring kid or long-term option for the Cowboys. However, as a stopgap measure, he would keep the team competitive and perhaps find a way to get them into the playoffs, as he often did with Russell Wilson in Seattle.

Jason Witten, former Dallas Cowboys tight end

There has been speculation that the Cowboys could target Colorado coach Deion Sanders as they pursue a candidate with no prior NFL coaching experience. However, Witten may be the player most likely to receive a call from Jerry Jones.

Do you need proof? Jones was asked during his weekly appearances on 105.3 The Fan on November 15, 2024 whether Witten would have a future as an NFL coach.

“Yes. Without hesitation. Yes,” Jones said. “(Witten) has something that you can’t describe. He reminds me a lot of our other tight end who is the head coach up there in Detroit right now (Dan Campbell).

“Jason is very demanding when it comes to understanding football and all its nuances. But more importantly, he really understands the physical and the mentality of the physical and that part of it. Without question he could become (an NFL coach). He has an exceptional work ethic… He can be a top coach.

Witten may have potential, but he only has four years of experience as a head coach at the high school level. That wouldn’t make him the most recommended signing, but if the 82-year-old wants to give Witten a chance, he could.

Will Bill Belichick become the Cowboys’ coaching candidate?

Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports reports that there would have been mutual interest between Belichick and the Cowboys had the veteran coach known the position would become available.

“Belichick and his camp never received any indication during the backchannel discussions that the job would become available, which was partly why he ended up at UNC,” Schultz wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “Belichick has an excellent relationship with the Jones family.”

Breaking News

Dellupodisabato

Who will replace Mike McCarthy in Dallas?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply