Source – Mike McCarthy will not return as Cowboys coach

FRISCO, Texas – Mike McCarthy will not return as Dallas Cowboys head coach, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday.

McCarthy’s contract with the Cowboys expired last Wednesday, but the team held an exclusive negotiating window with the coach until Tuesday at midnight. However, the parties have not had any negotiations on a new agreement, sources told Schefter on Monday.

The Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints are expected to be interested in talking to him about their vacancies, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Last week, the Bears had an official request for permission to speak with McCarthy that was denied by the Cowboys.

After a disappointing 7-10 finish in 2024, Jerry Jones will look to make the ninth head coaching hire in his tenure as owner and general manager.

McCarthy had a 49-35 record in his five seasons as coach, but he won just one playoff game while suffering devastating home losses in the wild-card round to the San Francisco 49ers (2021) and Green Bay Packers (2023).

Jones had McCarthy and his entire coaching staff working on the final years of their deal after posting three straight 12-5 marks and leading the team to the playoffs in three straight seasons for the first time since the 1990s.

The Cowboys opened this season with a 3-2 record, but suffered five straight losses and saw key players, including quarterback Dak Prescott (hamstring), right guard Zack Martin (ankle), defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (foot), cornerback Trevon Diggs ( knee) and wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (shoulder) will end the year on injured reserve.

After winning 16 straight games at AT&T Stadium from 2021 to 2023, the Cowboys finished 2-7 at home in 2024 and became the first team in NFL history to trail by at least 20 points in six straight home games, including the 2023 playoffs -loss to the Packers.

Before injuries took a total toll on the season, Jones backed McCarthy and said he doesn’t believe the offseason coaching changes make a difference. The only in-season change Jones made came in 2010 when Jason Garrett took over for Wade Phillips after a 1-7 start to the season.

At 3-7, the Cowboys won four of their next five games with Cooper Rush at quarterback after Prescott had surgery to repair an avulsion of his right hamstring suffered on November 3. The Cowboys’ playoff chances officially ended in Week 16.

McCarthy was hired as Garrett’s replacement in 2020 with a clear mandate: deliver postseason success. From 2006-18 with the Green Bay Packers, McCarthy reached the playoffs nine times with four NFC Championship games and a victory in Super Bowl XLV at AT&T Stadium in the 2010 season.

Twice McCarthy eliminated the Cowboys in the divisional round of the playoffs (2014, 2016). But he was unable to match the playoff success in Dallas.

The biggest disappointment, however, was a 48-32 loss to the Packers in the 2023 wild-card round. Green Bay had a 27-0 lead with less than two minutes left in the first half, and the Cowboys never threatened.

The Cowboys never found their footing in 2024.

McCarthy entered this season in the final year of his contract, despite becoming the first Cowboys coach to deliver three straight playoff appearances since Jimmy Johnson (1991-93). However, Johnson won two Super Bowls.

Despite Jones’ all-in proclamation at the start of the offseason, the Cowboys saw key contributors from those three playoff seasons — left tackle Tyron Smith, running back Tony Pollard, center Tyler Biadasz and defensive end Dorance Armstrong — leave in free agency. while doing little to replace them.

The reunion with running back Ezekiel Elliott didn’t pay off, but Rico Dowdle finished with more than 1,000 yards rushing.

Lamb missed training camp before signing a four-year, $136 million contract that made him the second-highest-paid wide receiver in the game. Prescott agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract extension hours before the season opener in Cleveland.

Three of the Cowboys’ top defensive players — pass rusher Micah Parsons (ankle), Lawrence and cornerback DaRon Bland (foot) — also missed time with injuries, which greatly affected new defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer. The Cowboys lost their first four home games of the season by a combined 94 points.

After finishing first in the NFL in points per game. game in 2023, McCarthy’s first as a playcaller, was 20th in points per match in 2024.

While there were improvements defensively as the year went on, the Cowboys allowed 27.5 points per game, 31st. in the NFL, and was 28th in yards.

Jones will now be looking for the ninth head coach in his tenure dating back to 1989. Since Johnson, he has hired the hot offensive coordinator (Chan Gailey, 1998-99), promoted from within (Garrett, 2010-19 and Dave Campo 2000 -02), hired a top defensive coordinator (Wade Phillips, 2007-10) and hired Super Bowl winners (McCarthy and Bill Parcells, 2003-06).

No one has been the answer to ending the Cowboys’ Super Bowl drought.

Is Jones, who turned 82 in October, looking to an NFL veteran, a college head coach or an up-and-coming coordinator on both sides of the ball to finally get the Cowboys over the hump?

All options seem to be on the table.