Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy’s contract expires on January 14, allowing the former Super Bowl winner to join the pool of NFL coaching candidates in 2025. While Cowboys owner Jerry Jones seemingly wants him back, there have been conflicting NFL rumors all season regarding McCarthy’s future.
The Cowboys opted not to sign McCarthy to a contract extension after three consecutive 12-win seasons, setting higher expectations for a playoff run in 2024. However, in a contract year, Dallas is poised to miss the playoffs for the second time in the McCarthy era.
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- Mike McCarthy coaching record: 174-111-2 overall, 49-34 as the Dallas Cowboys coach
McCarthy’s fate seemed sealed in the middle of November following a 34-10 loss to the Houston Texans that dropped the team’s record to 3-7. While a Cowboys coaching search felt inevitable, Jones and Cowboys players publicly stood by the head coach.
Dallas rallied, winning four of its next five games with the Cowboys locker room becoming more adamant about McCarthy returning in 2025. However, with his contract likely to expire before a new deal is reached, multiple teams in the NFL coaching carousel are eyeing McCarthy.
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Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports that there is a firm belief around the league that McCarthy can land another NFL head-coaching gig if he wants it. However, Cowboys sources believe the two sides will come to terms on a new contract and sources close to the team said McCarthy’s family loves Dallas.
Even if McCarthy returns, there will be other changes made to the Cowboys coaching staff. Many of the coaches’ contracts are set to expire in Week 18, including defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. An even likelier candidate to be replaced, though, would likely be offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. Dallas might also need to make changes with its offensive line coaches with the unit progressively worsening over the years.
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Fittingly, Dallas has put itself in a familiar position of sacrificing leverage. McCarthy’s agent will presumably field interest from other teams, which could drive his asking price up even higher for the Cowboys. As the team’s history in contract negotiations with Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb shows, though, Jones’ loyalty and trust in those he works with will likely result in a new deal.