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Mike McCarthy’s time in Dallas is over.
According to multiple reports, the head coach and the Cowboys weren’t able to come to terms with a new deal, making him a free agent on Tuesday at midnight.
Tom Pelissero @TomPelissero
The #Cowboys and Mike McCarthy had positive discussions last week about the 2024 season and the future. But McCarthy’s contract was set to expire Tuesday and the sides couldn’t work out a deal. Now Dallas needs a new coach and McCarthy is expected to have interest elsewhere. https://t.co/7y1av0jm8v
Adam Schefter @AdamSchefter
Mike McCarthy is not expected to return to Dallas and is now set to become a free agent, per source. The two sides engaged in no discussions about a new deal, and McCarthy is expected to be a candidate in Chicago and New Orleans. https://t.co/8YpUIXqdtw
Nick Underhill @nick_underhill
I expect the Saints to be very interested if this contract expires https://t.co/N60U4mdhDB
Per those reports, two teams to watch are the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.
The Bears are a far more appealing potential destination, with a young quarterback in Caleb Williams and a number of excellent offensive weapons. However, the Bears might be better off seeking a more dynamic, up-and-coming offensive mind such as Ben Johnson as they seek to invigorate their offense.
Meanwhile, the Saints are in cap hell for the foreseeable future and probably are going to have to ride out Derek Carr’s contract through the 2026 season. Some of Dak Prescott’s best statistical seasons came with McCarthy, so the hope would be that he could get the most out of Carr in such a pairing. From a talent and roster perspective, however, going from Dallas to New Orleans would be a significant downgrade for McCarthy.
As for the Cowboys, if there was mutual interest in a reunion, what gave both sides pause?
Albert Breer of SI.com noted before Monday’s news that “I do feel like [McCarthy’s] a bit annoyed that it’s gotten to this point. As he should be.”
So there was that. It may have also come down to how many years team owner Jerry Jones was willing to commit to McCarthy. Before it became clear that McCarthy and Dallas were parting ways, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported “some in league circles think Jones will push for something as short as a one-year deal, or possibly a multi-year contract with only one or two years guaranteed.”
It’s easy to imagine why McCarthy—who already spent the 2024 season as a lame-duck coach on the final year of his contract—wouldn’t have been interested in such a lack of security.
The divorce isn’t necessarily bad news for Dallas. In five years with the Cowboys, McCarthy posted a 49-35 record with three playoff appearances, but his postseason record was just 1-3.
Not only have the Cowboys failed to win a championship since the 1995 season, but they haven’t even gotten past the divisional round of the playoffs during that time. The Jones ownership era has never replicated the success of the Jimmy Johnson-built juggernaut from the early ’90s.
There remain major doubts whether the combination of McCarthy and Prescott could have helped the Cowboys turn the corner, making it a surprise that the organization didn’t decide to move on from him sooner. In usual Cowboys fashion, they spent time dragging out a decision that deserved a bit more decisiveness.
