Ralph Vacchiano
NFL Reporter
Jerry Jones just got rid of a coach who had gone 36-15 from 2021-23 before suffering through this last injury-filled season. He did it even though they played hard for him down the stretch. He did it after heaping praise on him for weeks, because they couldn’t agree on a new contract.
And even worse, he let Mike McCarthy walk away a full week after the offseason Coaching Carousel had begun, after one of the top candidates — Mike Vrabel — was already taken off the board when he was hired by the New England Patriots.
Maybe this all makes sense to Jones. Maybe he has a brilliant plan. Maybe he’s playing a brand of chess that’s hard for everyone else to see at the moment. But after letting McCarthy twist for months, then waiting a week longer than he needed to wait to make this decision final, it’s understandable that everyone in the NFL is suddenly wondering: What’s next?
With Jerry Jones, anything is possible. But at least he does still have plenty of options — some of which might seem crazy, but surely can’t be ruled out. So here’s a list of seven possible candidates to fill McCarthy’s old shoes as the next head coach of the Dallas Cowboys:
Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator: He’s been the most sought-after candidate for each of the last two hiring cycles, and there’s no chance that Jones won’t try to get on his list. He sent out word during the season that he was going to be very selective this time, but he’s already done initial interviews with the Patriots, Bears, Raiders and Jaguars. Really, what’s one more? It’s not yet clear if Jones would want a third straight offensive-minded coach, but no one doubts Johnson’s credentials after the stellar work he’s done running one of the NFL’s most creative offenses and turning quarterback Jared Goff into a star in Detroit.
Deion Sanders, University of Colorado head coach: Though he doesn’t always act like it with his business decisions, Jones is a showman at heart. He understands how to get attention and how to sell a product. And who knows about those things more than “Coach Prime”? But Sanders has proven he’s more than just glitz and publicity. He’s a really good coach, too. He turned Jackson State into an FCS power, then turned Colorado into a bowl team. He’s a master recruiter too, which could help at least a little bit in free agency. The lack of NFL coaching experience is irrelevant since he brings instant credibility as a Hall of Fame NFL player. He’d command respect and get the Cowboys to play hard. Prime Time would have them ready for prime time when the playoffs come around, too.
Would Prime Time be a hit in another stint in Dallas — this time as coach?
Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders offensive coordinator: Don’t rule out the appeal of this native Texan who began his coaching career as an assistant at the University of Houston, then moved to Texas A&M before becoming the Texas Tech head coach. He’s got NFL head coaching experience with four middling seasons in Arizona (2019-22) that did include one playoff berth. He’s known as an innovative offensive mind and he obviously worked wonders in Washington with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. He’d likely be a popular and exciting hire, though it’s unclear if Jones cares much about that.
Bill Belichick, University of North Carolina head coach: Don’t laugh. While Belichick maintains he’s serious about his move to the college ranks, there’s a reason the buyout in his contract is so relatively small ($10 million now, $1 million starting in June). There have already been reports that he’s interested in the Raiders job, and before he became a Tar Heel he called several NFL teams to see if they’d be interested in him. Those who know him swear the Cowboys are one of the teams he’s been eyeing for several years. And there’s no doubt that Jones, who once had Belichick’s old boss Bill Parcells as his head coach, would be interested too. It’s been a while since Jones made a big, bold power move like this, but if anyone’s going to get Belichick to abandon North Carolina after a month, Jones might be the most likely owner to do it.
Kellen Moore, Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator: He was a popular offensive coordinator in Dallas from 2019-22, when his offense ranked No. 1 overall in the NFL twice and 11th and 14th in the other two seasons. Things didn’t end well when McCarthy wanted to start calling his own plays, but Moore still has plenty of friends in the organization. Also, in his first year in Philadelphia, he has completely revived an Eagles’ offense which was a mess in 2023 and finished this season ranked eighth with a scheme built around running back Saquon Barkley and a powerful rushing attack. That sounds like something the Cowboys could use.
Might the familiar Kellen Moore be the right fit to replace Mike McCarthy?
Pete Carroll, former Seattle Seahawks head coach: The 73-year-old wants back into the NFL badly. And while some might view him as too old, he is only seven months older than Belichick. It’s doubtful that the 82-year-old Jones would see age as an impediment anyway. Besides, Carroll’s youthful energy has always been considered an asset. He’s also a proven winner. In fact, he’s one of only three head coaches to win both a Super Bowl and a national championship (It’s worth noting the other two are former Cowboys coaches: Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer). Oh, and he was once a graduate assistant at Jones’ beloved alma mater, the University of Arkansas.
Jason Witten, Liberty Christian (Tex.) High School head coach: It might be absurd, on the surface, to think anyone could make the jump directly from high school head coach to NFL head coach. Maybe it is. But Witten is a Jones favorite who spent 16 seasons playing tight end for the Cowboys. And don’t forget, there are a lot of teams that want to emulate what Dan Campbell has done in Detroit. Never mind that Campbell had plenty of NFL coaching experience. For some, what he’s done is about more than that. That’s why Jones said this about Witten back in November: “He has something that you can’t draw up. He reminds me a lot of our other tight end who is head coach up there in Detroit right now. Jason is very sophisticated when it comes to understanding football and all the nuances, but more important than anything, he really does understand the physical and the mentality of being physical and that part of it. Without a question, he could become (an NFL coach). He can be a top coach.” By the way, Witten also led Liberty Christian to back-to-back Texas state titles, right in Jones’ backyard.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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