Coming off a 41-7 loss to an Eagles team missing Jalen Hurts, the Cowboys saw their late-season momentum blunted. Mike McCarthy‘s contract covers one more game, the team’s season-ender against Washington. Will that be it for him in Dallas?
The Cowboys took the highly unusual step of letting McCarthy coach out his contract, driving numerous headlines about his future and how the organization plans to replace him. But some buzz about McCarthy receiving a second Cowboys contract has surfaced in recent weeks. At least, no definitive indication the team will fire McCarthy has emerged.
[RELATED: Jones Does Not Believe McCarthy’s Contract Affected Season]
McCarthy and his assistants are on expiring deals, which would make for a cleaner transition. Waiting until season’s end to make a call, the Cowboys are not tipping their hand. They plan to meet with their fifth-year HC next week, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. McCarthy’s contract makes this one of the stranger situations over the past several coaching carousels, however.
Because McCarthy will have coached throughout a five-year deal, he will be free to explore other opportunities. Teams could interview the former Super Bowl-winning leader immediately, as only coaches under contract would need to wait until divisional-round week. Some around the league believe McCarthy has a “small” chance to stay in Dallas, per Fowler. While that is not especially optimistic, it also represents an improvement based on where the embattled HC’s chances were when Dak Prescott sustained a season-ending injury. Prescott has since provided a strong endorsement for McCarthy.
Third-chance HCs are not too common anymore. No active coaches are on their third try, though we do not have to too far back to find leaders who match that description. Jon Gruden received two shots with the Raiders, with his Buccaneers stay sandwiched in between, while Pete Carroll wrapped a third NFL HC stint last season and John Fox did so within the past decade. The Jets also are interviewing Ron Rivera about what would be a third opportunity, while Rex Ryan may be in the mix for a third chance himself. McCarthy being an active coach would seemingly boost his chances here, even if he might not be the first choice anywhere.
A candidate pool not viewed as especially deep would work in McCarthy’s favor in Dallas and potentially elsewhere. The weak candidate crop will affect McCarthy’s future in Dallas, per Fowler, who adds the coach could look at Chicago soon. Some around the league view this the Bears’ opening as one that would appeal to McCarthy, who is now 61. This is not to definitively say the Bears would be interested, but a veteran offensive mind would stand to be intrigued by the Chicago opening due to Caleb Williams‘ presence.
While McCarthy is 7-9 this season, he is 49-34 in Dallas. Jerry Jones cited the wild-card letdown against the Packers last season as why McCarthy did not receive an extension on the back of his three straight 12-win seasons. That certainly could push McCarthy to explore other options, should any arise, but Jason Garrett‘s tenure also shows Jones has been willing to stick with an unpopular coach for an extended period. Garrett coached the Cowboys for 9 1/2 seasons. McCarthy will need another contract soon if Jones has designs on him staying for a sixth.