3 Coaches Cowboys Should Hire to Replace Mike McCarthy in 2025

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that he would not be making any coaching changes over the bye week, but depending on what happens over the remainder of the 2024 regular season, we could very well see the Cowboys make a big coaching change in the 2025 offseason.

Even before we saw the Cowboys struggling a bit on the field this season, there were rumors and rumblings that this team could end up making a change off of Mike McCarthy after this season since his contract expires anyway. McCarthy signed a five-year deal with Dallas back in 2020 and the team has obviously been quite good in the regular season (for the most part) but has not made nearly enough noise to match in the postseason.

The Cowboys would be arguably the most attractive job in the 2025 head coach cycle regardless of what other jobs become available, and you would have to assume they'd have their pick of the coaching litter with an established star quarterback in Dak Prescott, a superstar receiver in CeeDee Lamb, a defensive superstar in Micah Parsons, and the support from ownership to do what it takes to win.

So who could be the Cowboys' next head coach if not Mike McCarthy? Let's look at three of the top options.

1. Ben Johnson, Lions OC

Given the way the Detroit Lions have been playing the last handful of years offensively, I would expect Ben Johnson to be one of the most highly coveted and sought-after head coach candidates until he finally accepts a job.

And after turning down jobs the last couple of years, waiting for the perfect opportunity, you can't help but think the Cowboys would be exactly the type of job he'd be waiting for.

And the Cowboys got the full Ben Johnson experience recently, didn't they?

We've seen Ben Johnson take the Detroit Lions' offense and turn it into a juggernaut, it doesn't matter if they are running the ball or throwing the ball. They distribute the ball as well as any team in the league and there are few defenses in the NFL that seem to be able to keep up with it.

Johnson will be extremely coveted and the Cowboys should have a major advantage.