Mike McCarthy Sounds Thrilled Possible Replacement Threat is Off the Market
If Dallas residents heard a loud gust of wind on Wednesday, chances are that was just Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy breathing a sigh of relief.
It's a contract year and McCarthy's future with the Cowboys is up in the air. Former New England Patriots HC Bill Belichick has been a popular name when it comes to Dallas' next potential coach, however, that option is off the table after the dynasty-creating genius signed on to coach the North Carolina Tar Heels for the next five years.
Cowboys News: Mike McCarthy Reacts to UNC Hiring Bill Belichick
With Belichick no longer a threat, McCarthy was all smiles following Wednesday's practice as he discussed football's biggest current story.
"Wow, that’s great. That’s a beautiful place," McCarthy said about Belichick heading to UNC, per The Athletic's Jon Machota. "I think it's cool, I really do. Coaching is coaching."
Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy when told that Bill Belichick is going to be coaching at the University of North Carolina: “Wow, that’s great. That’s a beautiful place. No, I’m serious. I think it’s cool, I really do. Coaching is coaching.
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 11, 2024
“I’ll say one thing, they’ll be someone to…
Leading the Tar Heels bench is something that Belichick isn't used to. The 72-year-old gridiron guru has never coached any level of college football in his life. He began his coaching career as an assistant with the then-Baltimore Colts immediately after graduating college, earning just $25 per week.
But even if Belichick lacks collegiate coaching experience, McCarthy is confident that UNC hired the right man to turn the program around.
"(The Tar Heels will) be someone to be reckoned with," the Cowboys HC added. "I have a lot of respect for Bill and the job that he’s always done. He was always very difficult to compete against."
"Congratulations to him. I’m happy for him."
While it's entirely possible that McCarthy is happy for Belichick, the truth could be that he is excited about there being one less person to worry about for next season's coaching competition.
Following multiple playoff disappointings and a 5-8 start to the current season, McCarthy's future in the Lone Star State is unclear. It seemed like the Cowboys were eyeing Belichick as a potential replacement when owner Jerry Jones praised the former Patriots HC on 105.3 The Fan.
"No one knows more football or how to execute it and use that to win a ball game than Bill Belichick," Jones said on the broadcast.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones when asked on @1053thefan about Bill Belichick potentially coaching in college next year and not the NFL: "I don't know that I've seen a coach available, if you will, with his stature. He's got a lot of gas left in his tank. A lot. He's on the game. He's…
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) December 10, 2024
Regardless of how interested they actually were in his services, the Cowboys missed out on their chance to land Belichick. As a result, Jones & Co. must circle back to their current dilemma: do they re-sign McCarthy and hope that he can excel with next year's roster? Or do they roll the dice on a new face?
McCarthy has the next four games to prove whether or not he deserves to stick around in Dallas. That might be easier said than done, though, given that Tankathon lists the Cowboys as owning the 11th-hardest remaining schedule.
The Cowboys' final stretch begins on Sunday with road games against the Carolina Panthers at 1 p.m. ET. Surprisingly, it's projected to be an uphill battle for America's Team, which is currently the 2.5-point underdog on FanDuel Sportsbook.
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