There is a new head coach that has become available on the market — Mike McCarthy. 

The Cowboys and the head coach could not agree to terms for a new deal, leading to the decision for the two sides to part ways. McCarthy’s final year of his five-year contract expired at the end of the 2024 NFL season, and while there were conversations with Dallas about the future, the result ultimately was McCarthy not getting another contract. 

McCarthy ended his term in Dallas with three winning seasons and three playoff berths but just one postseason victory to show for it. He was unable to buck the trend of disappointing postseasons in Dallas, but it likely won’t take him long to find a new gig. 

The 61-year-old won a Super Bowl during his time with the Packers and has a plethora of coaching experience at the NFL level. Excluding the new opening in Dallas, there are five clubs in the NFL that need a new head coach, and McCarthy could very well find a new home in short order. 

The Sporting News breaks down the most logical landing spots for McCarthy in 2025. 

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Where will Mike McCarthy coach in 2025? 

Chicago Bears

Could a return to the NFC North be in the cards for McCarthy? It’s certainly possible. It already was reported that the Bears requested an interview with McCarthy before the Cowboys’ decision to part ways with the head coach, but Dallas denied the entreaty. Now with the coach as a free agent, Chicago can pounce at the opportunity. 

The Bears’ vacancy is undoubtedly one of the more desirable jobs available. The team has a young, promising quarterback in Caleb Williams and other complementary pieces around them. The fact that the NFC North is as tough as it is might be cause for hesitation, but there are few openings with as solid of a foundation for a new head coach as the Bears. McCarthy helped guide a young Aaron Rodgers to a Super Bowl in Green Bay, and that would be the goal in Chicago with Williams. 

MORE: 6 best replacements for Mike McCarthy in Dallas

New Orleans Saints

The other team reportedly interested in McCarthy’s services are the Saints. New Orleans fired Dennis Allen in the middle of the season, with Darren Rizzi taking over as the interim head coach and guiding the club to a 5-12 finish. McCarthy previously spent time with the organization, holding the offensive coordinator position under Jim Haslett from 2000 to 2004. 

The problem is that the Saints are are not in as attractive of a situation. The club is stuck in no man’s land, not quite ready to rebuild, yet far from being a contender. There are serious concerns about QB Derek Carr’s ability to propel the offense going forward, and with a salary cap situation that is a mess, McCarthy may not have an interest in taking over a team that has a few more issues than at head coach. 

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New York Jets

When it comes to the Jets during the short Aaron Rodgers era, it has been all about reunions. Whether that’s bringing in his former Green Bay wide receivers in Davante Adams, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, or hiring his former offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, New York has gone above and beyond to appease the aging quarterback. Nothing has gone right, but because it’s the Jets, that doesn’t mean the team won’t consider another reunion by bringing in McCarthy to work with Rodgers yet again. 

The two spent more than a decade together in Green Bay, as McCarthy coached Rodgers from 2006 to 2018. During that spell, the Packers won one Super Bowl, made four NFC Championships and won the NFC North six times. Meanwhile, the Jets haven’t made the postseason since 2010, going through a plethora of head coaches and QBs during that time. 

Rodgers isn’t the same quarterback he was under McCarthy in Green Bay, and let’s face it, none of the moves that have Rodgers’ influence written all over them have been positive. However, McCarthy could be enticed enough to run it back with his former star — if Rodgers decides to come back in 2025. 

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Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars fired Doug Pederson after a disastrous 2024 campaign. Jacksonville was expected to take another step forward under Trevor Lawrence and compete again for the AFC South title, but instead, the Jags posted a 5-12 record, missing the postseason and going in the wrong direction as a club. 

Between Lawrence, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., and defensive line pieces in Josh Hynes-Allen and Trayvon Walker, there are building blocks in place for a new head coach. Plus, the AFC South is a tumultuous division and regarded as one of the weaker ones in the league. McCarthy does not have any specific ties to the organization, but getting to work with the high-upside offense is the selling point in Jacksonville.  

Mike McCarthy coaching record

McCarthy first took over as a head coach in 2006 when he was with the Packers. He spent 13 years with Green Bay, and the 2024 season was his fifth with the Cowboys.