The Dallas Cowboys are in the playoffs for the third straight year under Mike McCarthy, but the team is being linked to a move for Bill Belichick. The former New England Patriots head coach is now available after he and the team parted ways on January 11.
NBC Sports’ Mike Florio suggested there is a very real chance Belichick’s future lies in Dallas. But it primarily rests on how much McCarthy succeeds in his third playoff campaign.
“It just makes too much sense. If Mike McCarthy makes the kind of bonehead mistake that we saw in the Week 17 game on Saturday night, throwing the ball on second-and-15 and giving the Lions enough time to drive down the field and score the touchdown … That’s the kind of thing that if he does it in the playoffs and they lose, he’s done,” Florio said on 105.3 The Fan. “Quite possibly. Based upon what Jerry [Jones] has said and the availability of Bill Belichick, it’s quite possibly going to be the end for Mike McCarthy because there is a clear opportunity to upgrade to a guy to give Jerry what he’s been chasing since 1995.”
It’s hard to part ways with a coach as successful as McCarthy, who is 176-110-2 in 17 years as a head coach and has a Super Bowl ring with the Green Bay Packers in 2011. But Belichick is a living legend, and it might be just as hard to let the opportunity pass by.
Jerry Jones’ Recent Comments on Mike McCarthy
Jones has refused to commit to McCarthy when asked about the coach’s future.
“When asked directly about Mike McCarthy’s Cowboys future, owner Jerry Jones said ‘we’ll see how each game goes’ in the playoffs,” according to a post on X by Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Typical of Jones, the response is a vague one. But it definitely shows that Jones is reserving his judgment until after the postseason campaign. Considering that McCarthy, who is finishing his fourth season with the team, is only 1-2 in the playoffs with the Cowboys, Dallas could feel as though they’ve given him enough time to advance in the postseason.
Cowboys DC Dan Quinn Wants a HC Job
While Belichick could be a potential replacement, the Cowboys could also look internally. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has been a head coach before (Atlanta Falcons from 2015 to 2020) and is eager for another chance, according to ESPN’s Todd Archer.
Dallas has already given Quinn a raise, but it may not be enough to keep him around.
“The Carolina Panthers have requested an interview with Quinn, who has been up for jobs each of the past two years,” Archer wrote in his January 10 story. “Jerry Jones adjusted Quinn’s contract, per sources, but Quinn wants to be a head coach again. If the right opportunity presents itself, Jones might be hard-pressed to convince Quinn to stay.”
But if the Cowboys part ways with McCarthy, Quinn could be the ideal candidate. Either way, the situation at head coach seemingly depends on how well Dallas does in the playoffs.
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NFL Insider: Cowboys Could Fire Mike McCarthy, Hire Bill Belichick