The Dallas Cowboys may have interest in Mike McCarthy returning as their head coach but there’s a chance that the feeling isn’t mutual because McCarthy could have options.
McCarthy’s contract with the Cowboys will conclude after their Week 18 game against the Washington Commanders and while he could earn an extension following a strong finish, he’s also evaluating other opportunities.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, McCarthy could “set his sights” on the Chicago Bears if he leaves Dallas. Fowler noted the former Super Bowl champion’s NFC North familiarity as a former Green Bay Packers head coach.
Despite their tumultuous 2024 campaign, the Bears could remain an attractive job because of Caleb Williams. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Pete Carroll is also interested in the position.
McCarthy could also return to Dallas for a sixth season. During his weekly radio interview on 105.3 The Fan, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said he’s “not under any unusual time frame” to decide McCarthy’s future.
“What I’m not going to do this morning is to get into any indication one way or the other that I’m not interested in having Mike back,” Jones said, per ESPN’s Todd Archer. “I don’t want that to be the case at all. We got this game ahead of us, but I’ll assure you I’ve been for weeks thinking about how we’ll go forward after this season.”
We’ll see what happens at the conclusion of Week 18.
