Adam Schefter reported that McCarthy and the Cowboys “engaged in no discussions about a new deal.”
DALLAS — Mike McCarthy is not expected to return as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, WFAA has confirmed Monday.
ESPN insider Adam Schefter first reported that McCarthy and the Cowboys “engaged in no discussions about a new deal” and that McCarthy is now expected to be a candidate for the open coaching positions in New Orleans and Chicago.
WFAA is working to confirm Schefter’s report.
Last week, it was reported that the Cowboys denied Chicago’s request to interview McCarthy, who remains under contract with the Cowboys until Jan. 14.
If McCarthy leaves Dallas, it would mark the official end of his five-year run coaching the team. McCarthy compiled three straight 12-win seasons from 2021-2023, but the injury-riddled Cowboys struggled to a 7-10 record in 2024, and McCarthy couldn’t get the franchise to an NFC Championship Game, a drought that has lasted nearly 30 years.
It’s not clear which direction Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones will take if he has to look for a new coach. There’s been no reports linking the Cowboys to any of the top coaching candidates this cycle.
And Dallas would face plenty of competition on the job market: Five teams currently have openings — the Chicago Bears, the New Orleans Saints, the New York Jets, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders.
The New England Patriots also had a coach opening but this weekend hired former Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who was among the betting favorites to become the next Cowboys coach. It’s not clear if the Cowboys had considered Vrabel, who last coached for the Titans in 2023.