Shutterstock
The Dallas Cowboys have just one more game left in their 2024 season, but things didn’t go as planned. Their owner, Jerry Jones, didn’t make any big moves last offseason to boost their Super Bowl chances. Now, they face a big decision about their head coach, Mike McCarthy.
McCarthy’s future with the Cowboys is uncertain.
Fans have been questioning McCarthy for a while now because he hasn’t led the team past the NFC Divisional Round. He’s going to be a free agent soon, and some Cowboys players want him to stay. But even if Jerry Jones wants to keep him, McCarthy might decide to leave on his own.
Where would he go next? According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (subscription required), there’s buzz that McCarthy might be eyeing the Chicago Bears job. It’s interesting because the Bears are rivals of his former team, the Green Bay Packers.
“Despite his rocky tenure in Dallas, McCarthy would stack up well if parachuting into this candidate pool and provide leadership,” writes Fowler. “He turned 61 in November but seems to have the energy for the job. He’s quite familiar with NFC North football, too. This might not graduate from a working theory stage, but enough people have mentioned the scenario to make it worth mentioning here.”
This move could be a big leap if it happens. Imagine McCarthy leaving the Cowboys to join the Bears, who need serious help with coaching. Matt Eberflus was fired after a tough Thanksgiving loss, and interim coach Thomas Brown hasn’t impressed either.
The Bears might not see McCarthy as their top choice. They’ve shown interest in other candidates like Ben Johnson from the Lions and former Titans coach Mike Vrabel. Even Pete Carroll has eyes on the Bears job. But hey, McCarthy knows how to win regular-season games.
In his time with the Packers, McCarthy had a 125-77-2 record in the regular season and a 10-8 playoff record, even winning a Super Bowl. With the Cowboys, he’s 49-34 in regular seasons but only 1-3 in playoffs.
The Bears are exploring all options for their next head coach. If McCarthy leaves Dallas, it’ll be intriguing to see if the Bears reach out for an interview.
