As it turns out, the Chicago Bears will get their chance to interview NFL veteran Mike McCarthy for their head coaching vacancy following January 13’s surprise announcement that he will not return to coach the Dallas Cowboys in 2025.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, McCarthy and the Cowboys could not agree on the length of a new contract during their recent extension negotiations and will now expectedly part ways when McCarthy’s current contract expires on January 13. He will leave Dallas with a 49-35 record and three playoff appearances in five seasons.
The Cowboys have since announced their split with McCarthy. In a statement, owner Jerry Jones wrote that the decision to move on was “mutually clear” for both sides.
McCarthy’s impending free agency is good news for the Bears, who put in a request to interview him for their head coaching vacancy last week before the Cowboys denied it. The Bears now have a clear path to interviewing McCarthy — if he wishes — and plan to capitalize on the opportunity when he becomes a free agent, per multiple insiders.
“[The] Bears put a request in for McCarthy last week when he was still under contract but it was denied,” ESPN’s Courtney Cronin wrote Monday on X. “They’re expected to act on their desire to interview McCarthy now that he’s not returning to Dallas.”
Is Mike McCarthy Too Controversial for Bears’ Job?
McCarthy is an intriguing candidate for the Bears during the 2025 hiring cycle. Unlike the young coordinators hoping to make the leap to the top job, McCarthy is a seasoned NFL head coach who has spent 18 seasons in the position with two different franchises. He has also gone 174-112 in his career as a head coach, reaching the postseason in two-thirds of his seasons at the helm and winning a Super Bowl title in 2011.
The problem for some Bears fans? McCarthy won his championship with the Green Bay Packers after knocking off Chicago in the divisional round of the 2010 NFL playoffs. He also led the Packers to six NFC North titles — including four straight from 2011 to 2014 — and wreaked havoc on the Bears for their biggest rival for more than a decade.
Even still, McCarthy has high-quality credentials for the job. He fits the criteria of being an offensive-minded coach who can help rebuild the Bears offense into an effective unit. He is also a big reason why Aaron Rodgers developed into a four-time NFL MVP, which could make him a valuable asset in the development of No. 1 pick Caleb Williams.
There are valid questions about whether McCarthy is the right fit for the Bears job. He is in his 60s and lacks some of the new-age appeal of younger candidates like Detroit’s Ben Johnson. The Packers also dumped him in 2018 for a younger offensive play-caller — Matt LaFleur — who still holds the job, a roadmap that Chicago may wish to follow.
Either way, though, it seems worthwhile for the Bears to at least talk to McCarthy.
Bears Casting Wide Net in Search for 2025 Head Coach
The Bears are leaving no stone unturned in their search to find a new head coach for the 2025 season, evidenced by their exhaustive list of candidate interviews on the books.
According to The Chicago Tribune’s interview tracker, the Bears have already spoken with Johnson (Lions OC), Aaron Glenn (Lions DC), Mike Kafka (Giants OC), Anthony Weaver (Dolphins DC), Drew Petzing (Cardinals DC), longtime NFL coach Ron Rivera and interim head coach Thomas Brown in addition to interviewing Carroll and Vrabel.
NFL Network is also reporting that the Bears have upcoming interviews scheduled with the following candidates: Brian Flores (Vikings DC), Kliff Kingsbury (Commanders OC), Todd Monken (Ravens OC) and Arthur Smith (Steelers OC).
The Bears are widely believed to want an offensive-minded head coach who can play a major role in developing Williams as the franchise starter, but they are clearly open to considering defensive coaches for their vacancy. After all, Glenn and Flores are popular candidates for a reason — and the last thing the Bears want is to overlook someone.
That said, the Bears must strike a balance between thorough and urgent with other NFL teams looking to fill their head coaching vacancies as well. There are openings in Dallas, Jacksonville, New York (Jets), Las Vegas and New Orleans, giving Chicago competition for some of the top candidates on the free-agent market — including Mike McCarthy.
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Bears to Pursue Controversial Coach After Surprise NFL Announcement