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Latest Mike McCarthy Report Suddenly Puts Pressure on Cowboys

Assuming that the Dallas Cowboys want to re-sign head coach Mike McCarthy, they must act quickly before the 61-year-old is snatched by another team.

By Devon Platana

Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field.
Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy on the sidelines against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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Dallas Cowboys fans received some intriguing news on Friday when NFL insider Tom Pelissero reported that the franchise is interested in re-signing head coach Mike McCarthy.

Although nothing is official just yet, Pelissero added that McCarthy and the Cowboys "are expected to open talks today on a new contract to keep him in Dallas." The 61-year-old coach has achieved a 49-35 record since moving to the Lone Star State in 2020.

As signs currently point to the Cowboys re-signing McCarthy, owner/general manager Jerry Jones might want to put pen to paper sooner rather than later.

Cowboys News: Saints, Bears to Potentially Target Mike McCarthy

With several head coach openings around the NFL this offseason, McCarthy will likely garner his fair share of attention. The Cowboys are the only team that can negotiate with him at the moment, however, their exclusive negotiations end on Tuesday.

If McCarthy does reach the point where he's free to talk with other franchises, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler expects the New Orleans Saints to be in the mix for his services.

"(The Saints HC opening) is a coveted job among people I've spoken to recently," Fowler said, adding that McCarthy is interested in the role. "It wouldn't shock if the Saints try to talk to him should he be free to do so."

A 5-12 record during the 2024 regular season forced the Saints to miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year — their longest drought in 20 years. Ex-head coach Dennis Allen was fired in early November following an uninspiring 18-25 run across three seasons with the franchise while interim bench boss Darren Rizzi didn't do much better, going 3-5 to end the latest campaign.

In other words, it makes sense why the Saints would be interested in a former Super Bowl-winning head coach like McCarthy. It also helps that the franchise is more than familiar with him after the Pittsburgh, PA native was New Orleans offensive coordinator from 2000 to 2004.

The rumors don't end there, though. Fowler added that the Chicago Bears could also enter the picture if the Cowboys decide to go with another coach this fall.

"My sense is McCarthy will have interest (in the Bears' job) should he leave Dallas," Fowler wrote. "(That's) something we're guaranteed to get clarity on by the time his contract expires (on Tuesday)."

The Bears axed HC Matt Eberflus on Thanksgiving Weekend following a 14-32 run with the franchise since the start of the 2022 campaign. Interim coach Thomas Brown didn't do much to inspire confidence in Eberflus' relief, leaving Chicago looking for a new leader.

Interestingly enough, the Bears asked the Cowboys for permission to negotiate with McCarthy on Monday. Although America's Team ultimately rejected the request, it indicates that the Bears will likely give their former NFC North rival a call if he hits the open market.

If the Cowboys are 100% confident that McCarthy is their guy, they must sign him as soon as possible. While his time in Dallas hasn't been perfect, finding a coach better than him could be difficult given how thin this offseason's market is.

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